You and me against the world
by Lisa Boon
Summary: Dean will do anything to protect his brother. Even if it meant taking him away from there own father. A what if Dean got into college fic. Abusive John!
1. Chapter 1

**(So this is a new story that I'm writing about what would happen if Dean got accepted into college and took Sam with him. John is abusive in this story so if it is not your cup of coffee please do not read it. **

**Thank you to Lilybolt for looking at this chapter. **

**I do not own 'Supernatural' it all belongs to the CW and people other than me. **

**Reviews are greatly appreciated.) **

**OoO**

"Sam? Sammy wake up. Come on bud, wake up." Dean whispered while shaking his younger brother awake.

"Hmm Dean whas goin' on?" Sam asked, trying to pull the covers back over him so he could go back to sleep.

"Sam get up right now and get dressed." Dean whispered pulling the covers off of Sam and handing him some clothing.

"Why?" Sam asked looking at the pile of stuff Dean had shoved into his hands.

"Because I'm taking you to college with me." Dean explained.

"What!" Sam yelped and Dean rounded on him and shook him. Startled by the shaking Sam reeled back from his brother his eyes wide.

"Shit Sammy, I'm sorry but you need to be quiet. The last thing we need is for John to come in here and get after us." Dean said. Sam pulled off the baggy Led Zeppelin t-shirt that used to be Dean's and put on the t-shirt and sweater that Dean gave him. While Dean went in to grab their toothbrushes he pulled on the jeans that Dean left him and slipped his boots on.

"What college did you get into? How come you never told me? When did you get the letter?" Sam asked following Dean out to the car.

"Shh," Dean whispered. "I'll tell you once we get on the road. Now stay out here and be quiet, I need to get our bags." Dean turned around and made his way back into the motel room Sam and him where sharing. Their dad was passed out drunk in the room next door so Dean was able to grab their bags and some other stuff they needed. On his way out Dean grabbed a wad of cash John had put on the table for food for the next day and stuck it into his pocket and shut the door. Hurrying to the impala and thanking whatever higher power there was that he got her for his sixteenth birthday two years ago, he unlocked the trunk and put the bags in it, unlocked the driver's side door, and then the passenger. Sam slid in and Dean started the engine and peeled out of the motel parking lot.

"Dean, where are we going?" Sam asked.

"The city of lights Sammy." Dean said smiling slightly.

"Paris France?" Sam said puzzled.

"No dweeb, New York City." Said Dean.

"New York City is the city that never sleeps." Sam informed his older brother rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

"Yeah, well…whatever go to sleep."

"I'm not tired now." Sam complained. Dean sighed and figured he'd better tell Sam the plan before they got there.

"Ok, I applied at New York City College of technology in May and put Bobby's address down as our home address and, well, I got informed two months ago that I got accepted and we are going there." Dean said.

"Umm Ok, but what about a place to live, my schooling, and what if Dad finds us?" Sam asked.

Dean looked over at his younger brother and saw the faint bruise around his eye and neck that John had given him two nights ago.

"We'll find a place to live once we get there. Same with your schooling. And if John finds us well we'll figure that out later. Another thing… Don't call John 'dad', Sam….He's not our dad anymore."

"But Dean-" Sam started to say but Dean interrupted him.

"Sammy shut up and go to sleep." Dean said stepping down on the gas hoping John would never find them.

OoO


	2. Chapter 2

**(Hears the next chapter of 'You and me against the world.' Thank you so much to CMParry and LightningBolt21 for their reviews. **

**Thanks to LilyBolt for looking this over for me. **

**I do not own Supernatural.) **

Dean pulled into Singer Salvage just after sunrise. Rumsfeld ran out to greet the black car with a booming bark jerking Sam from sleep.

"Hmm Dean where are we?" He asked rubbing his eyes.

"Bobby's. Figure we can stay here for an hour or so and tell him what's going on before we head out to NYC." Dean said opening the car door and getting out. Sam followed suit stepping out gently as Rumford ran up first to Dean, then Sam, and back to Dean, his tail wagging all the while.

"Hey Rums, how are you?" Dean asked reaching down to pat the dog on the head.

"He's the same as he had been the last time you saw him." A voice said. Dean looked up at the porch and standing in the door way was Bobby.

"Hey Bobby." Dean said hesitantly going up the steps holding his hand out for Bobby to shake. Bobby looked at him and without so much as a hello turned around and went back into the house. Sam, who had followed his older brother up the steps, looked at him, his hazel eyes slightly worried.

"You two goin' to stand on my porch all day or are you goin' to come in and get something to eat?" the older hunter called out Dean went in to the house quickly followed by Sam. They went through a dimly lit hallway that led out into a kitchen where Bobby was standing at the stove turning something in a cast iron skillet. Dean sagged wearily into one of the four chairs around Bobby's table.

"Been a while since I saw you boys last." Bobby said trying to make conversation "Sam sit down I can't stand people standing and watching me."

"Yes sir" Sam said sitting opposite Dean.

"Bobby, look, I'm sorry that we just showed up unannounced but-" Dean started to say but Bobby shut him up with a look.

"Your daddy's been calling trying to find you boys. Seems you took off in the middle of the night without so much as a goodbye." Bobby reached up and grabbed a coffee mug, poured Dean a cup, and set it down in front of him.

"Thanks Bobby." Dean said taking a grateful sip and let the hot liquid wake him up a little.

"Now, I figured you were coming here but I didn't tell him that so he doesn't know, but knowing John he'll figure it out and be heading this way." Bobby stated. "I suggest you don't stay for too long." He looked at Dean and Dean knew he was looking at the black eye John had given him and he also knew that Bobby had seen the bruises on Sam.

"We weren't planning on it, just stopping for a quick hour or so and then we'll be back on the road." Dean said looking at Bobby who had taken out the things in the skillet, which turned out to be bacon, and set it on the table. Bobby turned back around and grabbed a bowl from the shelf and set about making pancakes.

An hour after breakfast Bobby had Sam and Dean sitting on his couch in the living room telling him the plan.

"As you know Bobby, I got accepted into the New York City College of technology and I decided I'm going to take Sam with me." Dean said wondering what Bobby was going to say and even if he was going to approve of him taking Sam from John.

"Ok." Bobby said "But how are you going to live Dean?"

"Well," Dean said "I have saved up eight hundred dollars from doing odd jobs around different towns, plus I took forty from John, so I have eight hundred forty dollars. If Sam and I are careful we should be able to live someplace cheap until I can get a steady job and hopefully they will let me do part time work when school starts up."

"Well, that may be, but that car of yours will take up at least one or two hundred dollars just getting to New York." Bobby said.

"Well, that's why I'm leaving the Impala here Bobby. Sam and I can take the Greyhound to New York and we can use public transportation in the city." Dean explained hurriedly "Not only that, but the Impala is easy to spot even if it is in a big city."

Sam looked at Dean. Give up the Impala? The only constant thing in their lives, well besides the beating that they both got from Da-John.

"Well you two best be off then. I'll take you into town so you can get the bus tickets and be on your way." Bobby said, and with that the hunter took to his feet and grabbed the keys to his rundown pickup with the brothers following him outside into the sunlit morning.

They did not talk much on the way into town. Sam was dozing up against Dean, and Dean himself stayed silent which left Bobby to observe the brothers closer. John had never really gotten over Mary's death and had turned to the bottle, leaving six month old Sam in Dean's care. With Dean being only four, he'd had to grow up fast. Bobby remembered the first time John left the boys at his house to go on a hunt. Dean would not let Bobby do anything with Sam. So Bobby watched as Dean fed and washed his baby brother, changed his diaper, and then dumped out a dresser drawer full of Bobby's socks to put a pillow in it before the seven month old in it and tucking the yellow baby blanket around him.

John came back the day after and took the two and Bobby did not see them again until Sam was three and Dean was seven. Then Bobby saw the bruises on both boys and how they practically devoured the eggs and bacon he made. All the while Dean kept an eye on him and put himself between Sam and Bobby. It took Bobby the whole time the boys where there, which was just about a month, for Dean to trust him enough to let him be with Sam while he left the room, but he'd always hurry back to make sure Bobby did not do anything to Sammy.

Soon they pulled up into the Sioux Falls Jefferson line bus depot. Dean shook Sam awake and all of them got out, Dean and Bobby carrying the bags, not that the boys had much. One duffel a piece, Sam's backpack plus a box of sandwiches that Dean and Bobby made. Bobby insisted on paying for the two one way tickets so Dean could save his money for when the brothers got to New York.

"Ok, your bus comes in a half hour then you'll ride it into St. Cloud Minnesota. You're going to change busses there. From Minnesota you're going to go to Chicago, Illinois. You have a twenty four hour layover so you'll get on a different bus a day after, then you'll go to Indiana and then Ohio and finally New York." Bobby said. Dean smiled a little, and tightened his grip around Sam's shoulder.

"Don't worry Bobby, we'll be alright." Dean said. Bobby nodded and gave Dean a quick one armed hug, "Write once in a while or call and let me know how you two are doing alright?"

"Will do Bobby. Thank you." Dean said. Bobby nodded once, turned around and got into his truck, and left. An half hour later the bus pulled up. Dean and Sam got on and took their seats in the back so Dean could watch everyone who got on.

"It's for the best Sam. We'll come back someday I promise." Dean said as Sam sighed and leaned his head back against the seat. As the bus pulled away Dean started to wonder if he could keep this particular promise.

OoO


	3. Chapter 3

**(Hi. Hears the third chapter of 'You and me against the world.' Thank you to all who have followed, reviewed, put the story on their alerts and whatever else. **

**Big Thank You to LilyBolt for looking at this chapter. **

**I do not own 'Supernatural.') **

OoO

"Dean, where are we going to live when we get to New York?" Sam asked. They had been on the bus for a better part of the day and Sam was getting restless.

"Someplace close to the college." Dean answered him. "I just don't know where yet."

"Where am I going to go to school?" Sam asked as he imitated his brother as Dean stretched his legs.

"I don't know yet Sammy, but I have your transcripts and as soon as we get settled we'll look for a school for you. Sound good?" Dean asked as the bus went over a toll bridge.

"Mmm hmm." Sam said. "Hey Dean, where are we going to spend the night?"

"On the bus Sam." Dean answered patiently.

"I meant after we get to New York." Sam clarified.

"Don't worry I'll figure something out." Dean said. "Here, want half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? I would have made peanut butter and banana but I think the banana would have turned gross." Sam took the half of a sandwich Dean gave him and munched on it, silently thinking.

"Dean, will we ever see Da-John again?" Sam looked at his older brother, his hazel eyes worried.

"No Sammy, we'll never see John again." Dean replied.

Sam absorbed that information and asked again. "Why did you wait until now to get us out?"

"The plan was to wait until I got enough money to support us for at least a month, but well the plan changed."

"Why? What happened?" Sam questioned.

"You don't remember what happened that night do you?" Dean asked.

"What night?" Sam asked. Dean sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"I can't believe you don't remember that night." Dean repeated. "Oh yeah, that's because I told you a Wendigo got you."

"Dean, what happened?" Sam asked worriedly.

"Well, John hit you-" Dean started.

"Nothing that hasn't happened before." Sam interjected.

"Yeah but Sam, he nearly killed you!" Dean shouted, making people on the bus look at him. "Sorry, sorry." Dean said, sliding down on the seat so the people would quit looking at him. Sam copied him.

"That night we had no money for food, so I went to hustle some pool so we could get enough to eat. John was not supposed to be back for at least another week or two, and I felt safe leaving you sleep for a while." Dean started to explain and as he did he began to remember.

"_Dean I'm hungry." Sam wined to the older sibling. _

"_You finish your homework. I'll look and see what we have for food. Ok?" Dean got up from his textbook and went into the small kitchen to see if he could find anything to eat. They had a half loaf of bread in the cupboard. He took that out and looked to see if they had anything to put on it. All they had in the fridge was a quart of milk. He looked in back to see if there was anything that he may've missed and there was nothing. He went over to his jacket and took out his wallet to see if he had some money on him. All he had was a five dollar bill. Not enough for a pizza or any kind of take out. Sam watched him from the table. Dean smiled. _

"_Don't worry Sammy. I won't let you starve." He walked over and ruffled Sam's hair and went back into the kitchen. He sighed. There was only one thing that he could think of that he could make and they had had it for breakfast, lunch and supper for three days. He took out a saucepan and the milk and poured the milk into it and heated it up. While it was heating he took two slices of bread and tore them up and put them into two separate bowls. Then he poured the hot milk over the bread. Wishing he had sugar or raisins to make it taste better, he took two spoons as well and took both bowls over to the table and put one down beside Sam. _

"_Graveyard stew again." Sam sighed. _

"_Sorry, but that's all that I could think of unless you want to go hungry." Dean explained then started in on his own. Soon after supper, Sam did the dishes, got done with the rest of his homework, and helped Dean set the salt lines. _

"_Can we watch some TV Dean?" he asked._

"_Did you brush your teeth?" Dean asked in return, and grumbling, Sam went to brush his teeth. _

"_Do a good job Sam, we don't have the money or the insurance to get teeth pulled." Dean said as he handed Sam his pajamas and shut the bathroom door. _

"_Ok Dean." Sam's slightly muffled voice said, and soon Dean heard the water running and the sound of Sam brushing his teeth. When he came out Dean was on one of the beds with the remote in his hand flipping through the channels. _

"_Here we go. Something interesting." Dean said as he found The X-files. _

"_Wonder what Scully and Mulder are up to now." Sam said as he sat down in the bed that was not taken by Dean and leaned back against the pillows. _

"_If you watch the show you'll find out. Now shh." Dean said, and soon they lapsed into silence and Dean listened as Sam's breathing evened out and he fell asleep. Quietly he got up and put Sam under the covers and tucked him in. Then, shrugging into his jacket and grabbing the motel key, he went out and locked the door. Making his way to the bar he decided that, depending on how much he made, he was going to put half of it away in the envelope so he could get to New York City with Sam. He was almost there. He wanted at least seven hundred dollars before they left. He got word from Bobby that he had gotten accepted into New York College of technology a month ago and he really needed to start thinking about moving there. There was so many other things to do before they left. One was to find a place to live. Another was find a school for Sam. _

_Soon the lights of the town bar shown ahead of him, and picking up his pace he made it there and went inside. It was smoky and smelled of beer. He went up to the bar and sat down. _

"_What will it be?" asked the female bar tender._

"_An Arnold Palmer please." Dean said. _

"_Got ya." She said and walked off. Dean sighed and looked about him. Not too many people where there. Three girls were over by the jukebox looking like they were trying to find a song to play, and if Dean did not have Sam at the motel sleeping, he would have tried to pick one of them up. Two men were finishing a game of pool, one of them getting into a heated argument with the other. _

"_Hear you go sweetheart." The bartender was back and put a glass down in front of him. Dean flashed her a smile and took his drink, paid, and went over to where the guys were. _

"_Care if I join?" he asked, taking a drink of his mocktail. _

"_Go ahead, I am done playing this guy. He cheats." The taller of the two left, taking his jacket. _

"_Ok, how much do you want to lay down?" the guy asked._

"_All I have on me is two dollars and six cents." Dean admitted. _

"_That's fine." The guy said. "We can play for two dollars and work our way up." So Dean laid down the two dollars and they started the game. It went on for quite a while and soon it was just him, the guy he was playing against, and the bar tender. He was up to thirty-two dollars. The guy he was playing was starting to get on to him so he finished up the game and quickly left the bar. Looking down at his watch, he was startled to find out that it was midnight. He hurried back to the motel room cursing himself. He should know better than to leave Sam alone by himself for three hours. Who knows what could happen if something or someone got in? He rounded the corner and saw the motel room door wide open. Jogging up to it he ran into the room. _

"_Sam!" Dean hollered, turning on the light. There was blood on the bed and floor. Sam was lying in the middle of the floor unconscious. Dean ran over to his brother. _

"_Sam, please wake up." He said reaching out to try to rouse him. Sam's head just lolled to the side. _

"_Sam. Come on." Dean said desperately. A sudden noise made him turn around. There was John with a knife in his hand. He was on his feet and between Sam and John before John even knew what happened. Dean launched himself at the man he used to call a dad. The fight lasted maybe five minutes because John was unsteady on his feet thanks to the drinking he had been doing, and when it was done, John was locked on the other side of the door leading into his room. Dean hurried over to the other door and relocked that one as well, then made his way back to Sam. Bending down he looked his brother over and found a stab wound in his side. Ignoring the pounding on the door from John, Dean picked up the phone and called for an ambulance, praying that his brother would not die. _

Dean felt something splash onto his hand and opening his eyes, that he didn't even know he closed, he found that he was trying to hold back tears. He was so sure John had killed Sam.

"He stabbed me!" Sam said, his eyes wide.

"Yeah, all because I went out to get us some money for food." Dean said. "I should have taken you with me. Sam I'm sorry, it's my fault." Dean said guilt heavy in his voice.

"Do you know why he came home early?" Sam asked.

"Yeah I asked him one night while you were asleep drugged up from the pain killers right before he left on another case. He said that the thing he was hunting turned out not to be whatever it was he thought it was so he left." Dean explained

"Oh, but why did he stab me in the first place?" Sam asked.

"I asked him that as well he said that he was killing a monster." Dean said "Maybe he was hallucinating or something from the drink?"

"Well what happened after?" Sam asked.

"We rode to the hospital and I told the staff that we got jumped when we went into our motel room." Dean said. "You were in the hospital for a week."

"You told me that a Wendigo got me." Sam said.

"Yeah well, I couldn't tell you the truth." Dean explained. Sam went quiet staring out the window. Nether of the brothers talked much. Then in a soft voice Sam whispered, "That's why you stopped going out at night and got odd jobs around towns and forced me to go with you so I would not be out of your sight?"

"Yeah." Dean said, pulling Sam into a one armed hug as the sun started to go down. Sam leaned his head on Dean's shoulder, closed his eyes, and tried to get some sleep.

OoO


	4. Chapter 4

**(Hello. Here's the forth chapter of You and Me against the world. **

**Thank you to LilyBolt for looking over this chapter and also reviewing my previous chapters. And thank you to LightningBolt21 for reviewing as well. **

**I do not own **_**Supernatural.**_**) **

**OoO**

August in New York is no picnic. It's hot and crowded and Sam kept trying to wiggle out of Dean's hand.

"Dean, come on I'm fourteen years old for God's sakes. I don't need you holding my hand." Sam complained as he tried yet again to get out.

"New York is a big city, Sam, and I'm not going to have you lost our first day here. Now let's see if we can find the college." Dean _said And hopefully a place to sleep for the night_ He thought as he took a firm hold of his duffle bag and Sam's hand and they started walking. Dean cursed himself for not having the foresight of getting a place to live before running off but he needed to get Sam out as soon as he could and he was not sorry for it. They went up one street and down another and crisscrossed the busy New York streets weaving in and out of people until finally Dean, out of desperation, forked over the ten bucks for a map of the city. Sitting down on the steps of the nearest building, he spread it out on his lap to get a good look.

"Ok, let's see, we're here at 8th and 26th Ave and we need to- Sam get your butt over here right now and stay next to me." Dean snapped as Sam went to wander off.

"Dean come on, just let me go and get something to eat how about?" Sam asked, turning his puppy dog eyes on him.

"Sam, we'll get something to eat when I figure out where to go. Now _just stay here_." Dean went back to looking at the map. They would have to take a bus. After a good fifteen minutes Dean folded the map up and, putting it in his coat pocket, he grabbed the duffle again and with Sam by his side he started walking to the bus stop. Twenty five minutes of bus riding later they came to a gray brick building with a lot of windows all of them where dark from what Dean could make out. Sighing he bit his lip and looked at his watch- five O'clock PM- then rolled his eyes. He forgot to set his watch ahead an hour because of the time zones so technically it was six O' clock PM. They needed to find a place to settle down for the night and hopefully they could come back tomorrow or the day after and he could get signed up for his classes. Turning around he hoisted his duffle bag higher on his shoulder and started walking again, Sam dodging people to get caught up.

"Dean?" Sam asked.

"Yeah Sammy?" Dean replied.

"Where are we going to spend the night?" Sam inquired.

"I don't know, homeless shelter I guess. I'm sorry Sam, I didn't think this through too well. If I had more time I could have at least found a place for us to live." Dean said.

"But I don't understand. How it is your fault?" Sam asked. "Under the circumstances, it's Dad, sorry, John's fault."

Dean ran his tongue over his teeth and clicked it. "I should have-" He began but Sam cut him off.

"Dean, what's done is done. Now let's find a place to sleep for the night." Sam said in a voice that meant it was over.

"Ok, yeah…come on kiddo." Dean put his arm around Sam and they continued walking down the crowded street.

"Excuse me… mister, excuse me." Dean said going up to a hotdog vender.

"What do ya want kid?" he asked, but before Dean could say a thing, a guy wearing black slacks and white button down and girl wearing jeans and a red shirt walked up and got two hotdogs.

"Come on Henry, we're going to be late to the play." The girl laughed.

"No we won't Sissy, you're the star performer. They could not run the show without you." The guy said, and handed the vendor some money, took their hotdogs, and hurried off.

"Can I have two hotdogs one with the works and the other with just catsup and mustard?" Dean finally was able to order.

"Sure thing." The vender said and started making the hotdogs.

"Another thing. Do-do you know where we could find a homeless shelter?" Dean asked hesitantly. "Don't worry, I have money to pay for the hotdogs." He said quickly as the vender turned to most likely yell at him. "It's just that my brother and I, well, we just got here and we don't have a place to stay." The vender looked at him. Dean knew both Sam and him looked like Hell warmed over. The bruising on Sam's neck had finally started to fade and Dean's black eye had just about left, the only thing that remained was a yellowish green tinge.

"Tell you what kid." The guy said handing over the food. "There is a YMCA just down the road a piece if you'd like to stay there instead. It's not free but it's more comfortable than a homeless shelter."

"Oh, ahh, yeah Ok, thanks." Dean said as he handed the catsup and mustered hotdog to Sam. He then handed over the money and they both left.

"The address is 225 Atlantic Avenue." the guy yelled at Dean's retreating back.

"225 Atlantic Avenue." Dean muttered to himself. "Where would that be." He stopped on the street corner to consult the map again. "Here Sam can you hold onto my hotdog?" Sam took the hotdog as Dean looked at the map.

"Ok found it." Dean said and took his hotdog back and they continued on their way.

Soon they came upon the YMCA and, taking Sam's hand yet again, Dean walked through the doors.

"Hello?" He said stepping up to the reception desk.

"Hello." An older man turned around and leaned over the desk. "How can I help you?"

"My brother and I would like a room." Dean said.

"Ok, we have bunk beds available and a locker to place your stuff for fifty dollars a night." The man said.

"Fifty dollars apiece or fifty dollars total?" Dean asked.

"Fifty dollars apiece." The man explained, "But you can use all the YMCA facilities, showers, restroom, pool, and weight room. Everything that it offers." He said.

"Oh, umm ok." Dean reached into his wallet and pulled out two fifty dollar bills and handed them over.

"Thank you. Here's a key for a locker for your belongings and a list of the rules." He handed Dean a small key and a piece of paper. "Do you want two twin beds or bunks?"

Dean looked at Sam "What do you think Sam?" he questioned.

"Can we have bunk beds?" Sam asked his voice hopeful.

"Bunk beds please." Dean said.

"Ok, down the hall, take a right, go through the double doors and take another right, first door on the left." The guy explained.

"Thank you sir." Dean said and walked down the hall with Sam on his heels.

They found the room with no trouble and Dean opened the door. The room was an off white colour with the bunk beds, with tan sheets and white covers, neatly made up in the middle of the room, a window to the left and a locker off in the right corner.

"I call top bunk." Sam said as they stepped in.

"Fine by me." Dean said, going over and sitting down on the bottom bunk and laying down, he closed his eyes. He did not realize how tired he was. He heard Sam moving around and jiggling something.

"Dean?" Sam asked.

"Hmm, what Sam?" Dean asked in return.

"Can I have the key for the locker?" Sam inquired.

"Hmmm here." Dean tossed the key in Sam's general direction then opened his eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Putting our stuff in the locker." Sam said, then dug around for his pajamas and found Dean's as well.

"Are you going to put your pajamas on?" he asked as he went over and handed Dean his pajamas.

"Hmm I'll wait until your done changing then I'll change. Just tell me." Dean said rolling over. After a few minutes he felt Sam shake him.

"Dean, hey Dean I'm done, you want to change?" Sam asked as he hopped up onto the top bunk and turned to face away. As soon as Dean changed into his pajamas and shut the light off he crawled into bed and although it was only six thirty he was asleep in seconds.

Dean woke up to a low moaning.

"What the hell?" He wondered "Crap. John." He thought and grabbed a knife from under the pillow. Then his senses caught up with him and he remembered that John was gone, so what was making that noise?

"No, please, Daddy, I promise, I won't, please Dad, you're hurting me. Dean. Help Dean!" Dean was on his feet and had the bedroom light on standing by the top bunk before he even knew he was up. Sam's sheets where tossed off him and in a pool by his feet and his whole body was tossing and turning in the fits of a nightmare. Tossing the knife back onto his bed Dean reached out to wake Sam up.

"Sam." Dean whispered, grabbing his shoulder gently trying to wake him up. Sam moaned and immediately rolled away from Dean.

"Sam, come on kiddo, wake up. It's just a nightmare." Dean whispered, reaching over to shake him again. After a few seconds of gentle shaking and trying not to make Sam roll off the top bunk, Sam shot up with an almighty scream.

"Hey, hey Sam. Sammy, calm down it's just me." Dean said waiting for Sam to realize where he was at.

"Dean?" Sam finally whispered.

"Yeah, it's me." Dean said "That must have been bad."

"Yeah." Sam said providing no more information.

"Want to talk about it?" Dean asked.

"No." Sam replied.

"Ok, well umm let's get you tucked in again." Dean suggested as Sam laid down and Dean pulled the covers up to his chin and tucked them around him.

"Good night Dean." Sam said, yawning.

"Night Sam." Dean said turning the light off and crawling into his bed shoving the knife under the pillow again. He was just about to drift off again when a small voice from the dark stopped him.

"Dean?"

"Yeah Sammy?"

"Can I….can I sleep with you just for tonight? Please?" Sam's voice made him sound younger than his fourteen years. Dean was quiet for a moment.

"Dean?"

"Yeah I guess, come on. Be careful jumping down, but come on." Dean sighed, and soon Sam was snuggled up against Dean his head just under Dean's chin and Dean's arms around him.

"Thanks Dean." Sam whispered.

"Hmm." Dean yawned for the third time. He was about to fall asleep when he felt a leg kick him.

"Sam quit wiggling." He hissed.

"Sorry."

It was quiet for a moment.

"What's on your mind Tiger?" Dean asked.

"I can't sleep."

"Oh." Dean sighed and began to rub Sam's back gently, then began to sing softly

"_I took my love and took it down_

_I climbed a mountain and I turned around_

_And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills_

_Till the landslide brought me down" _

Slowly Sam's breathing evened out and became deeper, and soon he was fast asleep.

"Good night Sammy, sweet dreams." Dean said as finally he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

OoO


	5. Chapter 5

**(Ok. Chapter 5. Thank you to PriWinchester, guest, and LilyBolt for reviewing the previous chapter. Also big thank you to LilyBolt for looking over this chapter for me. **

**I do not own Supernatural.) **

OoO

"Ok, my price range?" Dean said running his hands through his hair looking at the real estate agent. "Well ahh I don't know. I'm kinda tight on money right now." Sam and Dean had been living in New York for just about a month and Dean had saved up just about nine hundred seventy one dollars and he decided that it was time to look and see if he could find them an apartment to live in.

Amy, the real estate agent, went to her computer and brought up a web site. "Well, how much do you have right now and do you have a job?" She asked "What kind of a house are you looking for? Do you want a one bedroom or two? A doorman or no doorman? Balcony or not. Where do you want to live? Around here in Brooklyn, or would you like to live in Manhattan or the Bronx? How much are you looking to spend on an apartment?" She asked, firing off questions before Dean could even answer one of them.

"Slow down lady." Dean snapped and she looked taken aback. "Sorry, it's just been a long day." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ok, I'm going to school right now and working for the school doing janitorial work and I'm getting minimum wage." Dean said. "But I'm hoping to get a part time job somewhere else as well so I can make house payments and what not." He explained, glancing at his watch. It was almost three O' clock he needed to meet Sam at the front of the high school at three.

"I'd like a two bedroom, one bathroom apartment here in Brooklyn just because it's easier for Sam and I to get to school, but if we need to go to a place like Manhattan then we will. Sam and I could take the subway." Dean said quickly.

"Ok." Amy clicked a few keys on her key board. "How much are you thinking to spend a month on an apartment?" She questioned.

"Oh, maybe two hundred? Maybe three hundred?" Dean said glancing at his watch again.

"Look, I need to get my brother at school." He explained. "But here's the number that I can be reached at if you find a place that may be suitable." He handed her a scrap of paper with the number that the YMCA was written on.

"Ok, Mr. Winchester." Amy said taking the paper and putting into the file she made for him. "I'll call you when I find some places that may be in your price range." She stood up and held out her hand for Dean to shake and after that Dean walked out of her office, out into the late October sunlight and hurried up the street to get to the school before it let out. He got there just as the school let out and the kids came streaming out. Dean scanned them looking for one kid in particular.

"DEAN!" a voice rang out and Sam came running out of the building and into Dean's arms.

"Sam!" Dean said laughing a little bit and giving Sam a hug.

"How was school?" Dean asked as they walked back to the Y.

"It was good." Sam said. "How was school for you?"

"It was alright. Missed part of work today but oh well. Homework?" Dean asked.

"I need to finish reading chapter nine and then read chapter ten in The Outsiders." Sam answered. "Why did you miss part of work?"

"I just had stuff to do. Any other homework?" Dean asked, figuring if Sam didn't have any other homework he could tell him right now that he had been looking into finding an apartment for them to live in, but if he did he'd hold it over his head for a little bit, give him some motivation to get his homework done. Not that Sam really slacked with his homework but he was a fourteen year old boy.

"Yeah, I need to do my science homework." Sam wrinkled his nose.

"I thought you liked science?" Dean raised an eyebrow.

"I do, but Dean we have to dissect a frog!" Sam shuddered at the thought.

"Oh poor you." Dean mocked. "When I was fourteen I had already killed my first monster. Hang on, you're not going to dissect a frog at the Y are you?"

"Yeah Dean that what we have to do. Get a frog and dissect it at home." Sam said sarcastically. "No, we need to read chapter twelve in our books then on Monday we're going to dissect them."

"Oh, well once we get something to eat and your homework gets done then I have a surprise to tell you." Dean announced.

"What? What is it?" Sam asked, grabbing onto Dean's arm and pulling on it.

"I'm not telling you until all your homework is done and we've had supper." Dean said. Sam took off running.

"Sam!" Dean hollered at his brothers' back. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going back to the Y so I can finish my homework!" Sam hollered back.

"Yeah well slow down so I can keep up!" Dean yelled. Grumbling, Sam slowed down enough so Dean could catch up. Finally they made it back to the Y and Sam went to do his homework and Dean changed and went into the weight room. He was doing his cool down exercise when Sam came in.

"Done with your homework kiddo?" he asked.

"No Dean, I just came in here to watch you jump rope." Sam said rolling his eyes. "Yeah I'm done."

"Great, let me shower and change then we can get something to eat and then I'll tell you my news." Dean said.

As they got in line for supper Dean told Sam what he did that afternoon.

"You mean we're moving into an apartment!" Sam said happily.

"Yep, just as soon as we find one we both like." Dean said, grinning at the smile on Sam's face.

"Great!" Sam exclaimed. "Can I have my own room? Can I paint it? Can we get a pet? A dog maybe? Please Dean?"

"Hold your horses Sam. We still need to find one, then we can talk about pets and the like." Dean said. "Now eat your supper and then we can go and take a walk around the city for a bit. How's that?"

"Sounds good." Sam said, and he began to shovel food into his mouth.

"Sam, slow down before you choke." Dean chided.

"So'ry" Sam said, chewing and quickly swallowing. "Done, come on." Sam got up and started towards the door.

"Sammy, you need to eat your broccoli." Dean said.

"Aww Dean." Sam whined. "I don't like broccoli."

"Samuel." Dean said.

"Yes sir." Sam said, dragging his feet back to the bench and picking up his fork. He stabbed a broccoli and put it into his mouth gaging.

"Come on, it's not that bad." Dean said, popping a piece into his mouth. "Ok, it's a little bad but you still need to eat it. I ate all mine." Dean showed Sam his plate.

"Great you want mine?" Sam asked hopefully.

"No, eat it then we can go." Dean said. "Hurry up." Sam put the last two pieces into his mouth and quickly washed them down with some milk.

"Ok, now I'm done let's go!" Sam said, and dodging between people with Dean hot on his heels, they ran out into the New York night.

Two days later Dean got a knock on the door of their room saying he had a call. Dean looked at Sam who was still fast asleep, and gripping at who could be calling at seven thirty in the morning, he went to take it. It was from Amy saying that she found some apartments that could fit their budget.

"Great!" Dean said, taking a sip of the coffee he got from the pot. "When can we take a look at them?"

"Are you busy this Saturday?" Amy asked.

"Sam and I were thinking about going to Central Park but that can wait." Dean said.

"If you're sure." Amy said.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Dean said. "Finding a place to live is more important I think."

"Well, Ok. I'll meet you at the front of my office, say, one O' clock?" Amy asked.

"One O' Clock it is." Dean said writing it down on a sheet of paper that the Y kept near the phone for messages.

"Ok see you at one." Amy said and they hung up. Dean smiled and went down the hall to wake Sam up.

"Rise and shine Sammy!" Dean hollered. Sam grumbled and buried his head into his pillow more.

"No, I don't wanna get up and go to school." Sam moaned.

"Why not?" Dean asked concerned.

"It's cold!" Sam groaned.

"Well if you hurry and get dressed then it won't be cold." Dean said.

"Can't I just stay here?" Sam asked.

"Sorry kiddo, but you can't." Dean said sympathetically. "I don't trust the people here to watch you, and I have to work until five O' clock today, and you are not staying in bed all day just because you're cold."

Sam let out a sigh and got up and went to the locker to grab a clean change of clothing. Dean laughed a little bit and went to grab something for Sam to eat on the way to school.

After dropping Sam off, with a sack lunch and a morning glory muffin, at the high school Dean, turned around and went to the college. If he hurried he'd make it to his first hour class, English, right on time as long as Mr. Hood did not get in there before Dean did he'd be fine. No such luck. A six feet tall Vietnam vet and his brown hair thinning, Mr. Hood was someone you did not want to try to get on the bad side with. And amazingly Dean, who all the other teachers put down as a silent trouble maker, had not gotten on his bad side yet.

"Mr. Winchester." He barked at Dean.

"Yes sir?" Dean asked, standing at attention. He had never really been late to English but he had watched as other students were and it was always interesting. Sometimes he's have the person explain why they were late in old English and sometimes he'd have them stay after for however many minutes they were late or they had to recite part of a poem they were studying.

"Wherefore art thou late Mr. Winchest'r?" Mr. Hood inquired.

Dean froze.

"Ahh, I had to maketh sure mine broth'r got to school?" Dean said hesitantly.

"Taketh thy seat. This is thy first warning." Mr. Hood turned to the blackboard and began to write the assignment up on it and Dean made his way to his seat thanking God he was just made to explain why he was late. The poem they were studying was 'The lady of Shalott' he knew it, but not long parts of it and he doubted it would be enough to please Mr. Hood. As the English lesson progressed a piece of paper was passed to him. Rolling his eyes and trying to figure out if they were still in high school or not he opened it. There in crisp neat hand writing of a sort of friend of his Kenny said:

Party at Shannon's tonight you in?

Taking his pencil he wrote a quick No and passed it back. Kenny looked at it and shot daggers at him. Dean shrugged and looked back at Mr. Hood.

"Who can tell me one of the themes in 'The lady of Shalott'?" Mr. Hood asked turning around to face the class "Miss. Winter?"

"Oh, umm. Well." Lauran Winter faltered. "Racism?"

"Can someone help her out?" Mr. Hood asked. "Anyone. Mr. Winchester how about you. What is one of the themes in the poem?" Dean bit his lip thinking back to when he was reading it at home.

"Isolation." Dean said. Mr. Hood stared at him.

"Explain your answer. Mr. Winchester." The professor instructed.

"Well, the Lady of Shalott is shut up alone in her tower. She can't see anyone because of the curse she may have on her and I don't know about you but I'd feel pretty isolated if I couldn't see people." Dean explained.

"Yeah but she could look at people through her mirror." Another girl in the class, Alice, said turning to look at Dean.

"Oh, let's shut you up in a tower and just give you a mirror to look through for the rest of your life and see how you do, yeah?" Dean shot back. "It's not just about isolation from looking at another human."

"What do you mean Mr. Winchester?" Mr. Hood asked, amusement in his eyes.

"I don't know." Dean said.

"Well take a stab at it." Mr. Hood said. "Because you are definitely on to something."

"Ok. It's about isolation from another human's touch. It's about isolation from people in general. Eventually, if you never see anyone or touch another person, you'll go mad. That's what happened to the Lady in the poem." Dean explained.

"Very good Mr. Winchester!" Mr. Hood said. Smiling, he glanced at the clock "Homework- read the second half of The Lady of Shalott." Everyone got up, grabbing their backpacks and notebooks, Dean doing the same. He was heading for the door when Mr. Hood called him back.

"Yes Mr. Hood?" he asked, trying to think of something he may've done to upset him.

"No need to look worried Dean." Mr. Hood said warmly. "I just wanted to know how you knew the end of the poem. I have not even assigned it yet."

"Oh well, I have a younger brother and both of us are interested in things that have to do with King Arthur and when he found out that I was reading the poem he asked if I could read it to him so-" Dean trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Ahh, I see, you and your brother finished the poem together?" Mr. Hood said kindly.

"Yes sir." Dean said.

"Well don't worry about it. I'm glad to see someone has an interest in medieval poetry. Goodbye Dean. I'll see you on Wednesday." Mr. Hood turned around and started putting papers into his briefcase.

"Bye." Dean said and quickly left the room. He hurried down to his small engines classroom hoping he would not be late for this one as well. He got in there with a few minutes to spare and as soon as he walked in Kenny was on him.

"Dean, why aren't you going to Shannon's party?" he asked.

"Because Ken, I can't. That's why." Dean answered as he walked over to get a pair of coveralls to put on over his jeans and t-shirt.

"That's not really an answer." Kenny pressed. "Besides she's really into you, if you get my drift." Dean resisted the urge to hit him but took a deep breath pulled the coveralls on and fastened them and explained, "I have a younger sibling at home and I need to look after him, as much as I'd love to go and get smashed at some rich girl's 'my parents aren't hear so let's all act stupide' party, I can't. Besides, I though her and that German guy Rolfe where going out? " Dean brushed past Kenny and went over to the lawnmower engine he was working on taking apart.

"They were but he broke it off when his ex came over to see him." Kenny said. "That means you're in the clear!"

"Yeah well, she's not my type." Dean said, taking a socket wrench and he started loosening up the lug-nuts.

"What do you mean she's not your type?" Eric asked coming over to borrow a screwdriver.

"I don't know, she seems too stuck up. I hate girls that are like that." Dean grunted as he tried to get off a particularly hard lug-nut.

"You three, enough talking. Get to work." Snapped Mr. Dahl and all three of them went quiet and started taking apart there assigned engines.

OoO


	6. Chapter 6

**(Ok. Chapter six. Thank you to EmilyAnnMcGarrett-Winchester, and LilyBolt for reviewing the last chapter. **

**Thank you to LilyBolt for looking this chapter over for me, you rock! **

**I don't own **_**Supernatural. **_

**Letting you all know ahead of time that I'm getting into the bones of this story so to speak and I will not be getting chapters out as quickly as I have been. Please be patient with me.) **

**OoO**

Saturday afternoon came bright and cold. Sam had a brown winter coat that Dean had found at a thrift shop and Dean of course wore his leather jacket. Even though it had been John's, for some reason he just could not toss it out. Both of them had knitted hats that Maggie, a lady who was also staying at the Y, gave them.

"Dean over here." A voice called out. Dean turned and there was Amy walking to them in a bright yellow pea coat.

"Hey Amy." Dean said, holding his hand out that she took warmly with a smile.

"This must be Sam?" She questioned, holding out her hand to him. Sam took it and barley shook it before he dropped it.

"Well let's get a move on it shall we?" Amy said in a bright voice. "The company car is over here. We can take that to the apartments that I found." She started walking towards a teal colored 1993 Honda Accord.

"Do you think we can trust that she won't kidnap us?" Sam asked in an undertone to Dean. Dean looked at him. He did not think of that, he was just so happy about the prospect of moving to an apartment that he did not think of monsters trying to hurt them. He highly doubted that the realtor would do something to them, but Sam was right. Dean looked up ahead at Amy who was standing by the car waiting.

"I think we can trust her Sam. Besides, I have a few tricks up my sleeve if things go south. Ok?" Dean said, squeezing Sam's shoulder. Sam smiled and they both hurried over and got in.

"Ok the first house is hear in Brooklyn so the both of you can still go to your schools without taking the subway. You will have to take a bus though." Amy explained. "The pricing is a bit high, but then again this is New York City so it is going to be expensive, but I tried to find apartments that are not as expensive." She looked into the review mirror looking Dean in the eye.

"How much?" Dean asked.

"Four hundred a month." Amy said. "But it includes a balcony and two bedrooms. Plus a court yard and on-site laundry." She turned down a one way street and passed the college that Dean went to and over a bridge then slammed on the brakes as a car peeled out in front of them. "Watch where you're going you idiot!" Amy shouted as she slowly got back up to speed. "I'm sorry. I normally don't yell like that with clients in the car." She said, her lips drawn in a frown. Dean had to choke back a laugh.

"Don't worry. We won't tell your boss." He said. They finally stopped at a three story tan brick building with sea foam green trim and fake window shutters that matched the trim.

"This apartment building was built in 1990 so it's only three years old. It's clean and the crime rate is lower than most parts of the city." Amy walked through the door, holding it open for Sam and Dean. The inside was keeping up with the color scheme outside with sea foam carpeting and tan walls. A vase of artificial flowers stood right next to the entryway and, as far as Dean could tell, there were four doors leading to different apartments plus a bigger door in the middle that Dean supposed led down the hallway to more apartments and stairs leading to the upper floors with mailboxes in the wall. Amy walked over to the stairs and started going up, still talking. "There are stairs on either side of the hallways and a fire door in between." She stated stopping at a door that had a brass plaque that had a 205 on it. She fished out a key from her coat pocket, looked at the number on the door and back at the key to confirm that it was the right one, and opened the door and walked in.

The apartment was small with gray carpeting and white walls. To the right when they came in was a coat closet and to the left was the entry to the kitchen that led into a small living room and dining room. "You'll have to get your own furniture for the apartment." Amy explained as she went in through the kitchen and into the living room with Dean following, Sam wandering off on his own to look at the bedrooms.

"Like I said, rent is four hundred dollars a month." Amy restated.

"Does that include water and electric or what?" Dean asked, getting a small notebook from his jacket pocket and a pencil.

"The price does not include electric." Amy said quickly. Dean nodded once to show that he had heard and wrote it down. Amy looked at him interestedly.

"Just making notes so I'll remember what's what." Dean said, flashing her a smile.

"There is a laundry room right down the hall so you won't have to bring it to a laundrymat." Amy hurried on.

"Well that's good." Dean said, scribbling that down as well. "Laundromats are expensive."

"Over here's the balcony." Amy walked across the living room to some shades and pulled them back to reveal a small balcony overlooking the court yard. Sam went bolting by to peer out.

"Hey!" Dean yelped startled. "Where did you come from?"

"The back bedroom." Sam said, looking out into the court yard that held a playground that two kids where playing on, two street lamps, and a sandbox, all surrounded by another concrete walkway and some brown grass.

"Well what do you think Sammy?" Dean asked as he turned away from the window and walked down the little hallway to look at the bedrooms. Nothing was in them save a closet in each.

"It's nice." Sam said. "But can we look at the other ones before we make a decision?"

"Of course you can." Amy smiled. "I have two more to show you. The next one is a few streets over." They left the apartments and got back in the car and drove three blocks to the other apartment. This one was a red brick four story apartment with a bigger kitchen and living room. This one did not have a balcony, although it did have a moon roof in the bathroom that Dean liked.

"How much for this one?" Dean asked as he peeked into the smaller of the bedrooms, yet again taking out the notebook.

"This one is a bit more expensive, six hundred and fifty dollars not including electric." Amy said. "But the heating is included in the price."

"Is there a laundry room?" Dean asked.

"There is one laundry room for the whole apartment building on the first floor." Amy answered.

"Only one for the whole apartment!" Sam said in shock. "Geez, wonder how many people get to have clean clothing." Dean looked at Sam over Amy's shoulder and Sam shook his head a fraction of an inch in a silent no.

"Well, I like the bathroom." Dean said. "But I don't think the one laundry room for the whole apartment is really going to fly for Sam and I. We'd be wearing dirty clothing for weeks before we got clean cloths."

"Oh, well there is one more that I can show you. It is a lot more expensive than this one." Amy said hesitantly.

"How much more expensive?" Dean asked.

"It's eight hundred and fifty dollars a month." Amy said.

"That's too expensive." Dean said right away. Amy sighed. "I'm sorry Dean those are the only houses that I know of that will fit into your budget." She said, kindly leading the way out of the apartment and down the hall. "Have you thought about applying for section 8 housing?"

"What's section 8 housing?" Sam asked, opening the door and going outside into the fading light.

"Dean, have you heard of section 8 housing?" Amy asked, looking at the eighteen year old.

"I think I heard someone talking about it at the YMCA but I don't really know what it is." Dean said.

"Section 8 housing is for individuals or families who can't pay full price for houses, so they help them find a house or an apartment to live in based on the head of the family's income. I suggest you look into it Dean." Amy explained.

"Ok, umm thanks Amy." Dean said, writing all that into the notebook and getting into the car.

Amy dropped them off at the YMCA and both boys watched as she drove away. Amy left Dean thinking for the first time how he was really going to raise Sam.

**OoO**


	7. Chapter 7

**(Chapter 7. Thank you to LilyBolt, Marikili68, 1hotpepper and Detective Kid1412 for their reviews on chapter 6 they made my day. **

**Thank you to LilyBolt for looking this chapter over for me. **

**I know I said this last chapter but I'll say it again. I'm getting into the bones of this story so updates will be slow. **

**I do not own **_**Supernatural) **_

OoO

"_Sam?" Dean called out, looking through the house, his panic mounting. He just left for a minute to get something from the car, came back, and Sam was gone! "Sam, answer me!" Dean yelled, hoping Sam did not wander too far. There was still no answer, but there was a noise upstairs. Puzzled, Dean wondered why there was an upstairs in a one story cabin, but deciding not to ponder on it he made his way to the wooden steps that led to the now appearing upstairs. When he got up there he came to a hallway with doors on either side. All were shut except one on the very end on the right. There was the noise again coming from behind that door._

"_Sammy, I'm done playing games. Quit right now and come out." Dean snapped, getting angry. There was no answer so gripping the gun- how did he get a gun? He was quite certain he did not have it when he ascended the stairs. Saving that to figure out for later he went to the door and toed it open. There in the middle of the floor was Sam. Gaged and blood dripping from his side from a knife wound. Dean dropped the gun and ran over to crouch down next to him. _

"_Sam, Sammy, wake up. Please wake up." Sam's eyes fluttered open. He moved his mouth to say something but Dean could not hear what it was. _

"_Sam, what is it?" Dean asked. Sam moved his mouth again but still nothing came out. Then he heard a noise coming from behind him. He turned and there was John with a knife. Dean's eyes where wide with shock. There was nothing he could do. The gun that he had was over in the hallway and he had no other weapons on him. He backed up as John lunged at him and he tried to kick at him but missed. Dean backed away more, pushing Sam behind him to try to protect him as John tried yet again to stab him. This time the knife made it to the target and plunged deep into Dean's side. With a satisfied smirk, John turned to go. Dean turned to look at Sam to reassure his brother that he'd be Ok but glassy eyes met him. Sam was dead and he was going the same way. "No, no, no, no." Dean whispered as he took hold of Sam's hand. "Sammy." His head fell to the ground and-_

Dean jerked awake, his eyes wide and his breath erratic. He jumped up and, nearly smacking his head on the underside of the bunk bed, he got up to look at Sam, making sure that he was ok. Satisfied that Sam was in no danger, Dean stifled a groan and looked at his wrist watch. The glow-in-the-dark hands showed just past five O clock. Figuring he was not going to get much sleep now anyway, he made his way to the locker and grabbed a pair of jeans and a shirt along with the bag of toiletries and a towel.

Looking at Sam one last time, he headed out the door and down the hall to take a shower. Under the hot spray Dean was able to wash away the lingering traces of the dream. Drying off and changing quickly, he combed his hair, and nodding to some other early morning risers, he made his way back to the room to drop off his stuff. Hanging his towel up to dry and tossing his pajamas in the locker, he made his way out of the room again and down the hall to the kitchen. Greer, another lady who was staying at the YMCA, was already in there making coffee. She gave a nod to Dean and went back to work. Stifling a yawn Dean went over to the fridge and took out stuff to make tuna fish sandwiches for lunch for Sam and him.

Placing the mayonnaise and plain yogurt on the counter, he grabbed a bowl from one of the cupboards and a can of tuna from another and placed them next to the mayonnaise and yogurt. Then he grabbed two lunch boxes that he got from a thrift store and set those next to everything else. Finally he grabbed a coffee mug and filled it up with the fresh coffee and took a sip. He set about making tuna salad. He put in a spoonful of yogurt and a spoonful of mayonnaise into the bowl. Then, after draining the tuna, he added that and mixed it and divided it into two containers and added chopped pickle into his and popped the lids on. Grabbing sandwich bags from another cupboard, he put two slices of bread into each bag and turning around to open the freezer he took out the ice packs and put them into the lunch boxes first, followed by an apple, then the bag of bread, the containers of tuna, along with a plastic knife in his and a spoon in Sam's. Last he added a treat into Sam's- a small bag of Lays potato chips. Putting Sam's back in the fridge so it would stay cold, he grabbed his coffee and made his way down the hall back to the room to wake Sam up so he could get ready for school.

"Sam time to get up." Dean said in a loud voice, snapping the light switch on. Bright light filled the room and Sam groaned and buried his head under the covers.

"Leave me alone Dean." Sam's muffled voice said.

"Sorry, no can do kiddo. You need to get up and get ready for school now." Dean said, standing beside him.

"What time is it?" Sam asked, peeking out.

"Oh, about six O' clock." Dean said, examining his finger nails.

"Only six. Dean why are you having me get up so early? I don't have to be to school until seven thirty at the latest." Sam pulled the covers back up over his head to try to get back to sleep.

"Yeah well, I need to be at the college by seven O'clock for work, so you are getting up now so that way you won't be late for school. Now get a move on it." Dean snapped, pulling all the covers off Sam. Sam yelped a little as cold air came into contact with his exposed skin.

"Fine, I'm up I'm up." Sam grumbled, pulling himself up and out of bed.

"Good, now remember, I'm working until three O' clock today so you'll have to wait at the school until I'm done. Then we need to hurry over to King's county community services to apply for section 8 housing." Dean said, following Sam down the hall to the bathroom. "Sam, Yoo hoo Sam? Hey Ground control to Major Tom." Dean snapped when Sam didn't answer.

"This is Major Tom to ground control." Sam said, playing along. "I heard you Dean."

"Then why didn't you answer me?" Dean asked as they got to the bathroom.

"Oh I don't know…maybe because you just woke me up about five minutes ago?" Sam suggested, pushing open the bathroom door. Dean followed him in.

"I put a bag lunch in the fridge for you and you're on your own for breakfast." Dean said, and turned to head out. "Bye Sam, have a good day at school. See you at about three thirty." Sam waved his hand to show he heard, and Dean hurried back to the kitchen to drop off his empty coffee mug and grab his own lunch before he hurried out the door.

The sun was trying to peek out over the sky scrapers, but low hanging clouds threatening rain kept blocking it as he made his way to the college. As he weaved in between people who were just getting off work and people who were heading to work, Dean rubbed his hands together warming them up. He needed to remember to wear gloves next time. Dean made it to the college with minuets to spare. Going inside, still rubbing his hands to try to warm them up, he made his way down the hall to the janitorial offices. Once he got in and hung up his jacket Dean grabbed his cleaning supplies and headed over to the book store to start cleaning the windows and to vacuum the floor.

He worked diligently until his first class, machine design over in Bradford Hall. He stopped off to grab his backpack and made to go outside, then changed his mind when he realized that it was down pouring out. It looked like he'd have to take the tunnels. Going over to the entrance of the tunnel he peered in. He heard stories about the tunnel. Whispers that something was not quite right in there. Cold spots and phantom voices calling to people and other things. If Dean was any other person he'd put them off as ghost stories that people told other people to scare them, but he was not any other person. He was a hunter. That's why he was debating getting soaked to the bone and risk getting a cold, or to risk a maybe hostile ghost in the tunnels.

He went in.

Dean walked quickly, keeping his eyes peeled, praying that he would not run into anything. He made it out of the tunnel without an incident, although he doubled back twice because he thought someone was following him because he would hear footsteps behind him. He found nothing and decided that it could be his own feet echoing off the walls, but instinct told him otherwise.

Dean left the school in the downpour that had started up that morning and made his way over to Sam's school. Sam was waiting for him in the library just like they had agreed upon, reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

"Really Sammy. Reading a girl's book?" Dean teased, sneaking up behind him. The scream Sam let out made it worth the glare the librarian sent at him.

"Jesus Christ Dean!" Sam snapped, looking at him "Don't do that."

"Sorry. But really, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn?" Dean questioned.

"Have you ever read it Dean?" Sam asked, putting a bookmark in it and gathering up his other things. He placed them in his backpack and they walked out of the school.

"Yeah. Once for I think tenth grade or something like that." Dean replied.

"Well then you'll remember that it wasn't a girl's book, and I like it." Sam said. "It's down pouring." He waved his hand to the rain.

"Yeah, I know captain obvious. Lucky for us I stopped back at the YMCA real quick and got us an umbrella." Dean took out the black umbrella and opened it up, and taking it slower than normal so both of them did not get too wet, they made their way to King's county community services. Once they got in Dean read the sign that they had put up.

**FIRST FLOOR**

•**Financial Assistants (food stamps, cash benefits, ect) **

•**Child Support **

**SECOND FLOOR **

•**Job Training **

•**Housing Help **

•**Adult Services**

**THIRED FLOOR **

•**Offices 106-109 **

•**Kidz Play Area**

Dean looked at Sam. "Want to go to the kids play area?" He joked. Sam rolled his eyes and followed Dean up to the receptionist.

"Hey, I was wondering where I'd need to go to fill out a section 8 housing form." Dean offered a smile to the receptionist.

"Can you read signs?" She asked.

"Yeah, I can read signs." Dean was puzzled by the question. "Why?" The receptionist rolled her eyes.

"The sign clearly states that for housing help you go up to the second floor." The receptionist answered slowly, saying everything like Dean was dumb. Dean smiled.

"Ya know." He said slowly. "If you speak even slower and use short words, I may be able to comprehend what you said better." She looked at him with a dumbfounded look.

"All I asked was if you knew where I was supposed to go to get a form and I get treated like I'm stupid." Dean grumbled, and grabbing Sam's hand, he turned on his heel and marched up the stairs to the second floor.

"Dean you didn't have to act like that." Sam said.

"Yeah, well she shouldn't have acted like I'm dumb." Dean snapped back. Dean got the form and filled it out, then handed it in and waited, and waited, and waited until finally their names were called.

Going into the office of a Janette Gillett, Sam and Dean sat down in the chairs she provided for people.

"Now as I understand it from your form that you filled out you are looking for help finding a home for you and your brother, right?" She glanced at Dean.

"Yes Ma'am." Dean nodded in confirmation.

"Ok. How old are you?" She asked.

"Eighteen." Dean said.

"And how old is your brother?" She asked again.

"Fourteen." Dean said.

"I see. Why are you looking for a house for you and your brother. Why can't your brother live with your parents?" She questioned.

"Well mom died when we were little and Dad is always on the road. We grew up moving from school to school, so when I got accepted into college I decided that Sam could get a stable education by living with me and attending a public school here rather than always bouncing around to different schools and either relearning things he already knows or being too far behind because he did not get up to that point in the previous school." Dean explained.

"I see." Janette said. "Do you have full custody of your brother?"

"Do I what?" Dean asked.

"Do you have full custody of your brother? Did your dad give up parental rights to you when you took him?" Janette asked.

"_Oh crap."_ Dean thought.

OoO


	8. Chapter 8

**(Chapter 8! A million and ten thank yous to all who have liked, favorite and started to follow You and me against the world. A big thank you to LightningBolt21, PriWinchester, EmilyAnnMcGarrett-Winchester, LilyBolt and Detective Kid1412 for their reviews on chapter 7. **

**Thank you also to LilyBolt for looking over this chapter.) **

**oOo**

"What?" Dean asked, looking at Jeanette.

"Where are you living right now?" Jeanette asked, firing off another question.

"Go back, what do you mean did Dad give me parental rights?" Dean repeated.

"Oh, well in order to have a sibling under the age of eighteen living with a sibling over the age of eighteen, the parent of said siblings must give up all parental rights. At least those are the rules here in New York." Jeanette explained.

"Oh." Dean bit his lip. There was no way John would give him parental rights to Sam, no way no how. Now what was he going to do?

"First things first Dean." He told himself. 'Get an apartment. Then you can worry about parental rights and whatever else." Talking out loud Dean said, "I don't see how this has to do with us applying for section 8 housing."

"Well, we don't just give section 8 housing to people." Jeanette explained.

"I understand that." Dean said hurriedly.

"Let me finish." Jeanette said.

"Sorry." Dean mumbled. She smiled.

"We just don't give people section 8 housing. We need to see that they have a job, or they're looking for a job, and we need to make sure that there is nothing illegal going on- drugs, underage drinking, things like that." Jeanette clarified.

"Dean doesn't do drugs or drink. He doesn't even smoke!" Sam snapped.

"Sammy." Dean said, taking hold of Sam's hand. He started talking before Sam could say something else.

"Ahh. I'm in the process of getting parental rights, it was next on my list after this." Dean said quickly. It really wasn't but now that he found out that he need to get custody of Sam, it was his top priority. "But that still does not explain why I need to get parental rights of my younger brother."

Jeanette sighed "I'm not trying to pry or anything, but it will help you get a place faster if we see that you have a child to look after as well." She said, giving Dean a meaningful look.

"Oh…I see." Dean's green eyes widened in realization before he let out a small smile.

"Ok. Well, it will take some time to process your paperwork but I'll contact you when it goes through." Jeanette smiled. "I suggest you get started on the paperwork for custody of your younger brother right away. Depending on the case, some people wait almost three years for the sibling to get custody."

"Yeah, right. Thank you." Dean said distractedly as he and Sam made to get up from the chairs. "Where would I go to get the paper work?"

"The Court House." Jeanette said, standing up as well. "I'd also suggest reading up on the custody law for New York State."

"I thought this was the Court House?" Dean asked, puzzled. Jeanette smiled.

"This is one of them yes, but we deal more with financial things rather than family affairs. What you have is a case for family court." She explained. "That is over in the building across the street."

"Ok, thank you." Dean held out his hand to shake and, taking Sam by the shoulders, he walked him out. Dean's mind was a whirl-wind. He did not think of trying to get custody of Sam. He never thought that he'd need to. They walked down the stairs and out the doors in silence. It was getting dark. Dean looked at his watch and saw it was five fifteen. He heaved a sigh.

"Want to get an early supper?" He asked Sam. Sam nodded and weaved his hand into Dean's as they walked down the sidewalk, both of them lost in their own thoughts. They continued to walk down the sidewalk looking for a burger joint when Sam spoke in barley a whisper.

"What if you don't get custody of me?"

"Don't worry kiddo, I'll get custody of you." Dean said, ruffling Sam's hair.

"But what if you don't." Sam pressed, chewing his lip worriedly.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there." Dean said, spying a hamburger joint up ahead and, grabbing Sam's hand, he ran over to it to get some supper.

"We need to go to the library." Dean said through a mouthful of hamburger.

"Why?" Sam asked, chewing his own meal.

"Cause we need to read up on the law so I can get custody of you, dummy." Dean rolled his eyes.

"I'm not a dummy Dean!" Sam said. "When dose the library close? Better question, where is the library?" Sam asked.

"We'll take a look at the map when we get home." Dean said, referring to the map that he had bought the first night they were in New York. "Also, we should call Bobby and tell him how we're doing." He balled up the wrapper that his burger had come in and aimed it at the trash bin. "Winchester in, going to the free throw line. A silence falls over the crowd. Can there star player make it?" He asks, looking at Sam who was rolling his eyes finishing up his own burger.

"Winchester takes position. He shoots and he…..scores!" Dean shouted as the paper went into the bin "The crowd goes wild as Dean Winchester, star player for the Jayhawks, wins yet another game for them." He put his hands to his mouth and made "hurrah" noises. Sam laughed as Dean went and sat down.

"My turn." Sam jumped up and balled up his own wrapper and took a shot. It bounced off the trash bin and onto the sidewalk. Sam sighed and grabbed it.

"Try again." Dean said. Sam bit his lip and took another shot and still did not make it in.

"Oh well." Sam said as he picked it up and just tossed it in.

"If you want we can practice your free throw at the gym and I can help you." Dean offered.

"Really?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. But right now we need to call Bobby and find the library, in that order." Dean said, putting an arm around his younger sibling.

"Dean." Sam said.

"Yeah squirt?" Dean asked.

"It's getting kinda late," Sam pointed out. "Maybe we should hold off on the library until tomorrow after school?"

Dean looked around. It was getting late- the sun had gone down behind the sky scrapers and it was starting to get colder.

"Yeah we can do that." Dean said, and they hurried back to the YMCA to call Bobby.

"Singer Salvage, Bobby speaking." Bobby's gruff voice came in over the phone.

"Hey Bobby, its Dean." Dean said.

"Dean, how are you?" Bobby's voice said over the phone.

"We're good. I'm sorry we didn't call until now but we've been busy and not only that, but I didn't want John to try to listen in on the conversation." Dean explained.

"Yeah I kinda figured that." Bobby said. "So what have you two been up to?"

"Not much." Dean said. "School, work, trying to get a house and custody of Sam." Dean explained in a conversational tone.

"What do you mean 'trying to get custody of Sam', Dean?" Bobby asked.

"Well, in order for me and Sam to get an apartment faster I need to get custody of him." Dean clarified.

"Oh, how are you going to do that? John won't let you get it."

"I know Bobby, I don't know how I'm going to get custody of him but we're going to the Court House tomorrow and I'm going to file for it and we'll take it from there." Dean said, rubbing a hand down his face.

"Ok boy. You need any help just let me know. I'll help anyway I can." Bobby's voice said. "Let me talk to your brother." Dean handed the phone off to Sam and sat down at a table to think. He needed to make a list of stuff he needed to do for tomorrow. First on the list was start making preparations to get custody of Sam, followed by another part time job and getting the paperwork for a house. Sam hung up the phone and they started walking back to the room.

"What do you have for homework Sammy?" Dean asked.

"Math and I need to study my spelling words. What do you have for homework?" Sam asked curiously.

"I need to start writing my persuasive speech on if high schools should offer parenting classes or not." Dean said.

"Oh, did you get to pick your side?" Sam asked.

"No, the teacher picked it for me." Dean explained.

"Oh, whose side are you on?" Sam asked.

"I'm on why it's a good idea to offer parenting classes in the schools." Dean said as he opened the door to their room. "Do you need help with any of your homework?"

"I might." Sam said bighting his lip. "Do you think you can quiz me on my spelling words?"

"Yeah, study them for thirty minutes and then I'll quiz you. I'm going to get started on my paper." Dean said as he sat down on the floor with his notebook and a pencil while Sam stretched out across Dean's bed to study his spelling words. Dean gave a small smile and started to write his paper.

'Why it's a good idea to offer parenting classes in high school. ' Dean wrote, then just stared at it. After about five minutes he wrote down:

• Maybe if students knew how hard it was to raise a kid they would think twice about popping one out.

He sighed and leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. That would be a good opening sentence. Now he just needed stuff to prove it. He must have dozed off because the next thing he knew Sam was down next to him asking him if he was ready to quiz him for his spelling words.

"Yeah Sammy, I'm ready. Question is, are you ready?" Dean asked. Sam smiled.

"Yeah Dean, I'm ready. I think they are pretty easy this week." Sam said, handing Dean the paper that had the spelling words on it. Then he sat down cross legged opposite each other, Dean with his hands on his lap.

"Ok." Dean set the list on his notebook so Sam couldn't see through the paper. "First word is 'neighbor'. I waved to my neighbor this morning. Neighbor."

"N-e-i-g-h-b-o-r" Sam rattled off. "That one's easy."

"Ok, let's try a harder one then." Dean said, ticking off the first one so he knew they already did that one. He finally got Sam on commencement because Sam had forgotten that it had a double 'm'.

"I thought you said they were easy." Dean teased his younger brother as they got up from the floor and started picking up their mess.

"Yeah, well 'commencement' is a bonus word so I don't technically have to learn it." Sam rolled his eyes "Dean what does 'commencement' mean anyway?"

"No clue, but we have a dictionary so why don't you look it up?" Dean suggested. Heaving a sigh, Sam went over to the locker and pulled out the dictionary that Mr. Hood let Dean borrow for the school year when he found out that Dean could not afford one at the time. A few minutes later Sam let out a whoop of triumph as he found it.

"Commencement. It's a noun, it means 'a beginning' or the second definition is 'the graduation exercises of a school or college'." Sam read out happily.

"Ok, now that we know that, know what I want you to do?" Dean said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, write it on a note card and stick it onto the wall so I'll always know what it is." Sam said, already going to grab a notecard. Dean smiled.

"Sammy, you are going to go far." Dean thought as Sam stuck the notecard on the wall that was already covered with twenty or so other words that Sam had not known.

"Dean?" Sam asked as he sat back down next to his older brother.

"Sam." Dean replied. "What's on your mind?" Sam licked his lips and took a deep breath.

"What happens in you don't get custody of me? I'm serious Dean, and I want a serious answer." His hazel eyes looked straight into Dean's green ones.

"Honestly Sam, if I don't get custody of you, you'll go into foster care most likely, and from there I don't know. I may be able to see you on occasion there is also a very real possibility of you going back to John, but I just don't know." Dean said.

"Ok, so that's the worst case scenario." Sam nodded, accepting the fact. "What's our plan of action to have you get custody of me?" Dean laughed at how eager Sam was, but it also pained him because Dean was certain one of the reasons why Sam was eager was because if John got a hold of him again he'd kill him for sure.

"I don't know Sam, that's why we're going to the Court House tomorrow and we're going to the library as well." Dean explained.

"Oh yeah, I forgot." Sam said. Dean shook his head with a fond smile at his younger brother.

"Why don't you read for a little bit while I work on my speech, then later we can go down and get something to eat before bed?"

"Ok." Sam agreed and took out A Tree Grows in Brooklyn again and started reading.

Sighing, Dean went back to work on his speech outline, adding a few more things to what he already had, and hopping that everything would work out for the better, because if he lost Sam he didn't know what he'd do.

OoO


	9. Chapter 9

**(Here's chapter 9. Thank you to Lilybolt for looking this over for me! **

**If I owned **_**Supernatural **_**I wouldn't be writing fan fiction about it. **

**Also I am taking requests for anything in the **_**Supernatural **_**universe. So if you have any please let me know by review or PM me.) **

**OoO**

"I hate filling out forms." Dean grumbled as he took the clipboard and began filling out the child custody form. "Does the birth father know you're filing for custody?" He read out. "No, and I'm hoping he never finds out, but with our luck he will find out." Dean looked at Sam who was asleep, his head resting on Dean's shoulder. They had gotten up at five O' clock to get over to the Court House to make sure that Dean had time to fill out the forms but also be able to drop Sam off at school and still be able to make it to his own classes in time. Dean would be missing his first hour class, more than likely, and his morning work shift, but he'd make up for it by working double after his last class, and that meant Sam would be walking back to the YMCA by himself. Dean sighed and continued to fill out the forms. Finally, as he put his signature and date on the last form, he roused Sam awake yet again.

"Come on Sam, we're done here." Dean said as Sam looked at him with sleepy eyes and they both got up. Dean handed in the forms, then they walked out onto the busy New York street.

"Dean, when are we going to get an apartment?" Sam asked through a yawn.

"As soon as I get a call saying they have some for us to look at Sam." Dean said as they waited for the crosswalk to say they could cross.

"When will that be? It's been a week since we put in the application." Sam whined.

"I know but it's out of our hands now Sam, so there is no use in whining." Dean said. "Have a good day at school and remember-"

"I'm walking to the YMCA from school by myself because you're going to work late tonight, I know Dean, I'm not a little kid." Sam said.

"Yeah you are….you're my kid brother." Dean said, ruffling Sam's hair.

"Dean." Sam whined. "Quit it." Dean smiled.

"Ok, I'll see you later on tonight. Good luck on your spelling test geek." Dean said, and with a last wave, he turned around and left Sam to navigate his way through the throng of students and went to the college.

Much to his surprise he wasn't late to any of his classes because his classes were cancelled and a group of students were huddled together talking.

"Hey Rachelle, what's going on?" Dean asked, walking up to a girl with dark brown hair. Rachelle turned to him.

"You know Lauran Winters from our English class?" She asked.

"Yeah, why?" Dean asked.

"Well one of the janitors found her this morning in the tunnel dead!" Rachelle said.

"I heard it was a suicide." Kenny whispered, turning to face Dean.

"I don't know what it is, but the tunnels always gave me the creeps." Rach said, shuttering.

"Apparently this is not the only death in the tunnel." Another kid said, walking up to them joining in on the conversation.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked, looking at the kid.

"Come with me to the library and I'll tell you." The guy said and started walking away. Dean exchanged a look with Kenny and Rach who both shrugged, and they started to follow him.

"My name's Aya, by the way." Aya said, and soon they were a good ways away from the cops and then Aya took a left and went to the back of the building and through an open door. Dean made sure he had his knife on him and followed Rachelle and Kenny right behind. As soon as they got to the library Aya sat down at the table and Dean and the other two followed suit.

"Now what's this about Lauran not being the only one killed in the tunnel?" Dean asked, getting right to the point. Aya smiled.

"Apparently in the late 1960s there was this boy who fell for this girl while both of them where here at school. They started dating and had plans to get married as soon as he got done with his degree." Aya started. "Well the girl wrote home to her mom and dad about it and they were both thrilled because their daughter had been seeing this guy from her hometown who wasn't very nice and he said that if she went to college she better not be messing around with any other guys even though she broke up with him before she left. Anywho, this guy gets wind of it so he comes up to New York to tell this other guy to lay off his girl, you know?" He paused to let that sink in and he licked his lips and continued.

"So he goes to her apartment and she's not there but her roommate said that she was just getting done with classes for the day and if he hurried he could meet her out by the classroom door, and gives him directions to her class and tells him to take the tunnel because it's quicker. So he hurries off to meet her by the classroom door and he takes her roommate's advice and goes into the tunnel and half way down he sees her coming up hand in hand with her new boyfriend and he gets pissed. I mean 'just punch the wall and call the cops' pissed. He runs over to them and starts beating up her boyfriend and she's screaming at him to stop but he's not stopping and then he turns on her and she runs down the tunnel hall screaming for help but no one is there and he gets her and beats her to death, and then once he realized what he did he panics and just leaves both of them there and goes home. Now apparently whenever anyone goes down there by themselves they can hear them, and if you spend too long the boyfriend of the girl will kill you." Aya said.

"Yeah but that's just a scary story, right you two?" Rach said, looking at Kenny and Dean.

"Yeah, I don't believe it." Kenny said. "Do you Dean? Dean?"

"Hmm Oh, yeah, it's just a story made up to freak out students." Dean said, agreeing "Do you know the names of the kids who were killed?"

"Why do you want to know if it's just a story?" Aya asked.

Dean shrugged "Curiosity's sake?" Dean said. "It's a hobby of mine learning about myths and legends of different places." Rach looked at Dean and wrinkled her nose.

"That's a weird hobby." She commented. Dean shrugged.

"Some people like to garden as a hobby. I like to read up on ghost stories." Dean said.

"Whatever," Rachelle said, rolling her eyes. "Anyway thanks for the ghost story Aya, I need to go home and do some serious sleeping." She swung her book bag over her shoulder and walked out the library doors. Kenny looked at Dean. "I'll see you later man, I need to get to work." And he followed Rachelle out. Dean looked at Aya.

"What were their names?" Dean asked.

"I want to say Lawrence was the ex-boyfriend's name, and Leroy was the guy who was killed." Aya said.

"Ok what about the girl?" Dean asked.

"Lucy, Mary, Sammy, Annie, Sherry? Something with a y or an ie at the end." Aya said. "I don't know."

"Where did you hear this?" Dean pestered.

"My brother told me. He heard it from his friend's mom who was in school here apparently when it happened." Aya said.

"Ok, thanks. I want to find out more about it." Dean explained as they both got up and snuck back outside. Aya gave him a weird look.

"Rach is right. You are weird." He said as he turned to go.

Dean laughed again, saying, "You really have no idea."

**OoO**


	10. Chapter 10

**(AN. Chapter 10. **

**Thank you to EmilyAnnMcGarrett-Winchester, LilyBolt, 1hotpepper, and Sad-Blue-Eyed-Angel 2010 for their last reviews and thank you to all who have followed and favorite this story. **

**Thank you to LilyBolt for looking this over for me. **

**I don't own **_**Supernatural**_**. **

**Also those who are interested I started a new story called **_**Everything but the kitchen sink. **_**It is one shot requests that people send me. Please take a look if you want.) **

**OoO**

"I like this one." Dean said looking into a bedroom. "I think we'll have to redo the walls though." Sam ducked under his arm, took one look at the walls, and backed out and into Dean's arms shaking. All four walls had clowns on them. Plus a clown light fixture.

It had been three weeks after Aya had told Dean about the ghost that haunted the tunnel of the college and he had gotten a call from the county saying that their paperwork had been approved for Section 8 Housing. They had taken a snowy Saturday in November to look for a place.

"Hey kiddo, its ok. They can't hurt you." Dean said, running a hand through Sam's hair.

"What's up?" a gruff voice asked. Dean turned around. It was Alex the apartment manager.

"Nothing, just wondering if we can redo the walls if we take this apartment?" Dean asked.

"I don't care what you do to them just as long as you leave it the way it was when you move out." Alex said with a shrug. "I would've gotten the last people to get this stuff taken off but they moved out before I could look at the bedrooms."

"Ahh, well can my brother and I have a moment to discuss this?" Dean asked, still running his hand through Sam's hair in an attempt to calm him down.

"Of course. I'll be at my office." Alex smiled and turned away and walked down the hall to the apartment door. Dean heard the door open and slam shut. Then he moved out of the doorway and shut the door so the clowns where not visible anymore and looked at Sam.

"Well what do you think Sammy? Apart from the clown room?" Dean asked as they walked down the hall into the living room/dining room combo.

"I like it better than the last one, no funny old lady smell." Sam explained wrinkling his nose. Dean laughed.

"Yeah, plus the kitchen is bigger as well." Dean said, peeking into it. "We'll put this down as a 'maybe' and look at the last one before we decide. Sound good?"

"Ok." Sam nodded and they both walked out to meet Alex.

"Well, what do you think?" Alex asked.

"Well we have one more place we'd like to look at before we make a decision but we'll let you know within a week." Dean promised. Alex nodded and turned to lock the door and followed the brothers out into snow flurries.

"Stay safe you two and God bless." Alex said over his shoulder to them as Sam and Dean walked down the sidewalk and soon got swallowed up by the crowd.

"Ok this last one is a one bedroom." Dean explained to Sam. "I don't think that we'll be able to make payments on a two bedroom right now even though we have help, because we still have to pay 30% of the rent."

"So, we'll still be sharing a bedroom." Sam sighed.

"Yeah, just for a little bit until I can find another job that pays more." Dean said quickly, trying not to take offence to what Sam just said. Dean knew how much his younger brother was looking forward to having his own bedroom after sharing a motel room with him ever since he was three.

"Ok." Sam said, smiling. Then he sighed, looking around the busy New York streets. "Dean?" He asked.

"Yeah Sammy?" Dean answered.

"When school lets out for the summer do ya think I can get a summer job?"

"I don't know Sam, we'll have to see what summer brings, but I don't see why you couldn't. Take my hand now we're crossing the street." Dean held out his gloved hand for Sam to take, and rolling his eyes, Sam grabbed onto it with his own gloved hand and they hurried across the busy street. A few minutes later they stopped at another apartment building, this one a three floor, and Dean went to pull open the door but it was locked. Reading a sign next to a call box Dean punched 'pound 110' and it started ringing. After a few seconds a female voice came on over the speakers.

"Hullo, this is Cassidy how may I help you?"

"Umm, this is Dean Winchester. My brother and I had a meeting with you to look at an apartment." Dean said, speaking into the call box.

"Oh, hold on let me buzz you in. You'll want to go down the stairs through the first door and it is the first door on your right." Cassidy said, and soon the door buzzed and Dean pulled it open and both Sam and he went inside.

The entry way was small with mail boxes on one side and stairs leading up to the second and third floors and one set of stairs leading down to the first floor with a drab green carpet. Dean taking the lead, they went down stairs and through the first door, and just like the voice said, there was a small brass plaque reading '110'. Dean grabbed the knocker and knocked.

"Come on in." The voice said as Dean turned the door handle and entered. The office was big with a desk in the middle of the floor and filing cabinets taking up much of the left side of the wall and plants taking up the right side.

"You must be Dean." Cassidy said, holding out her hand for him the shake. She was of average height with curly dirty blond hair and grey eyes. She gave Dean's hand a quick shake and a smile.

"Yes ma'am." Dean said, returning the smile and knowing he was going to like this lady. There was just something about her that he trusted.

"Well now let's get down to business then, yes?" She asked as she opened the door that Dean and his brother just walked through. "The apartment that I have open is on the third floor." she explained as she walked down the hall and up all three flights of stairs, Sam and Dean following right behind her. She pushed a door open and stopped right next to a door that said '308' on the plaque.

"Here we are." She said, turning the key into the lock and opening up a heavy wooden door. She let Dean and Sam go in first. Dean saw that the carpet was something that wouldn't be out of place in The Brady Bunch. It was orange and brown shag and it went into both bedrooms.

"I thought this was a one bedroom?" Sam asked.

"Well, we don't have any one bedrooms available right now." Cassidy said. "And it's cheaper to get a two bedroom then a one bedroom on the Section 8 Housing." She explained.

The kitchen was red paisley linoleum with an olive green oven and mustard yellow countertops and cabinets.

"Now, the apartment building was built in the early 1900's but it has undergone some transformations, the last one being in 1965." Cassidy said as Dean wandered into the kitchen and out into the living room/dining room combo with more orange and brown shag carpet.

"This place is five hundred and fifty five dollars a month and that includes heat and water, but you pay for your own phone and electric." Cassidy said as Dean took out the now familiar notebook and scribbled it down.

"What about on-site laundry?" He asked.

"Well, there is a laundry room on each floor that has two washers and two dryers in each, but if you'd rather take your laundry somewhere else you could." She said as Dean watched Sam go into one of the bedrooms and followed him in.

"As you can tell, this apartment is unfurnished, but you can get some really good stuff at Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and other places." Cassidy continued talking as both brothers came out of the room and went into the other one. It was very much the same white wall, that orange brown shag carpet that made the door somewhat hard to open, and an accordion style closet door.

"This is better than the locker at the YMCA!" Sam said, excitedly going over to the closet. He turned to look at Dean who had gone over to the window to look out at the street below.

"Hmm, yeah it is, you can hang your shirts up and I won't have to iron them." Dean said, completely forgetting that Cassidy was there.

"You iron your son's shirts?" She asked, puzzled.

"Oh no." Dean said quickly, a light blush coming over his cheeks. "Sam's my brother."

"Oh, I see, I'm so sorry for jumping to conclusions like that but the person from County said that a young man and a kid where coming to look at an apartment so I just assumed-" Cassidy let the sentence hang in midair and Dean laughed a little.

"It's fine. To tell you the truth, you're not the only one who jumps to that." He said, turning and following Sam out of the room. Cassidy followed them both out.

"So what do you think Sam?" Dean asked the standard question, and Sam replied with the standard answer.

"Can we wait and look over the notes and then decide?"

"Of course." Dean answered, and turned to tell Cassidy.

"One more thing." Dean said quickly, "How far is it from the New York School of Technology and Roosevelt High School?"

"Oh, you'll have to take a subway to get there in the winter, but on nice days you can walk if you felt like it." Cassidy said. "Bye bye." She waved to Sam and Dean and turned to go down the stairs.

"Just one more thing." Dean said, and Cassidy turned around again.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Sam and I will let you know in a week if we want the apartment or not. Sound good?" Dean asked.

"That sounds great." Cassidy said, smiling and turning her back on Sam and Dean. She walked down the stairs and through the fire door as Sam and Dean went out into the slush New York called snow.

**OoO**


	11. Chapter 11

**(AN. Chapter 11. **

**Thank you to EmilyAnnMcGarrett-Winchester, Sad-Blue-Eyed-Angel 2010, LilyBolt and guest for their reviews on chapter 10. **

**Also Thank you to LilyBolt for looking over this chapter. **

**I do not own **_**Supernatural.) **_

Dean turned the heater on in the Jeep as they picked up speed and got onto the highway, fiddling with the volume on the radio as Queen came out of the speakers.

"_Calling you, calling you on_

_Don't destroy what you see, your country to be_

_Just keep building on the ground that's been won" _

"Dean where are we going?" Sam asked, looking over at his brother. Dean had picked him up from school with the Jeep, that Sam had found out he had borrowed for the weekend from Kenny, and told them they were going someplace.

"_Kings will be crowned, and the word goes around_

_From father to son, to son" _

"You'll see." Dean said, his green eyes flashing with a secret only he knew, but Sam would love once he found out. Kenny's family owned a cabin in New York State and Dean had asked if it would be alright with Kenny's mom and dad if Sam and he used it for Thanksgiving. Kenny had gotten back to him last week and said that as long they cleaned up after themselves and didn't take anything, they could use it. So Dean had gotten both Sam and him snow pants from the Goodwill. He also splurged a little on good winter boots for the both of them, and thick wool mittens, scarves, and hats.

"Dean." Sam complained. "Come on just tell me please." Sam begged, turning his puppy dog eyes on him.

"No Sam. If I told you it would spoil the surprise." Dean said. Sam leaned against the passenger seat and stuck out his bottom lip in a pout.

"You know if you keep pouting that lip a bird will come along and poop on it right?' Dean said, teasing.

"Shut up." Sam snapped.

"Hey kiddo, what's up?" Dean asked, worried and confused as to the sudden attitude change.

"Nothing." Sam grumbled, staring out the window as the suburbs turned to forests.

"Sam-" Dean started to say.

"Dean it's nothing, ok? Just drop it!" Sam snapped again.

"Don't talk to me like that Sam." Dean said. "I want your attitude to change by the time we get there or you will be sent to a room for an hour."

"Sorry." Sam.

"Apology accepted." Dean started to sing along to U2's 'Sweetest Thing.'

"_My love throws me like a rubber ball_- Come on Sammy, do the backing vocals for me." He laughed as Sam put his fingers into his ears.

"_She won't catch me or break my fall."_ Dean sang.

"_Oh oh oh, the sweetest thing"_ Sam sang out, taking his fingers out of his ears grinning.

"_Baby's got blue skies up ahead. But in this I'm a rain cloud_" Dean sang out, beating out the rhythm on the Jeep's steering wheel. They kept it up, Dean doing lead vocals and Sam doing the backing.

"_Oh oh oh, the sweetest thing."_ Both brothers harmonized at the end.

"You still suck at singing Dean." Sam said, laughing as Dean flicked his ear.

"I sound better than you do." Dean volleyed back and turned down a gravel road that had patches of ice. "Keep an eye out for a mail box that says The Lembeck Family."

"The Lembeck Family?" Sam raised an eye brow looking at Dean. Dean shrugged.

"It's Kenny's last name."

"Oh, what kind of last name is that?" Sam asked.

"Don't ask me." Dean said. "Now keep an eye out." Sam turned his head to look out the windshield.

"There it is, up ahead on the right!" Sam exclaimed, pointing.

"Ok, I see it." Dean said, and slowing down a little, he turned the blinker on and turned into the driveway.

After a few minutes, they pulled up to a two story red wood cabin with steps leading up to the deck and the entrance.

"Looks like Mr. Lembeck or someone was here." Dean pointed out as he noticed that the deck was shoveled of snow and swept off and salt was laid down for the ice.

"Yeah." Sam said, opening up the door of the Jeep and got out. He went to the back while Dean popped the trunk. It only took two trips to get everything in, and Dean refused help with unloading the cooler, saying that he wanted Sam to pick out a room and get his stuff put away.

The cabin was warm, the same person who shoveled the steps and deck must've turned on the heater for them as well, and it was clean. The carpet was a light blue that went well with the light wood paneling of the walls. There was a couch up against the wall facing a TV and a round wooden table with a red checkered tablecloth on it next to a bay window looking out onto a lake that was covered with ice. Dean could see that there was a patch shoveled off for ice skating. Turning back to the task at hand, Dean made quick work of putting the perishables into the fridge and non-perishables into the cupboard. Taking the turkey and hiding it behind the cans of juice so Sam, hopefully, wouldn't find it, Dean also tossed in a bag of cranberries and a frozen pie crust. He was going to give Sam a traditional Thanksgiving dinner no matter what.

Going over to the table he found a piece of paper with writing on it. Picking it up he read to himself.

_Dear Mr. Winchester, _

_As you can probably tell, I have come already and turned on the water, cleared off the snow, and turned on the heat and electric for you in the cabin. _

_Please enjoy your stay here and please pick up after yourselves. _

_If you have any questions our number is (929)-555-0996. _

_Brian Lembeck. _

_PS. I cleared off some ice down on the lake if you and your brother would like to go ice skating. If you don't have ice skates there are some down in the basement in the foot locker. Just remember to dry off the skates when you get done or they will rust. _

Dean smiled, thinking that some ice skating would be fun and he had been meaning to teach Sam how to skate for a while. Dean had learned when he was sixteen when his gym class went to the hockey arena. He had always meant to go back and get a pair of skates for Sam and help him learn, but they had to move on before he got the chance. Thinking about Sam, Dean put the note down and began to look for his younger brother. He found Sam in the bedroom across from the bathroom. He was lying on the bed looking up at the ceiling.

"Hey, what's up?" Dean asked as he knocked on the door. "Can I come in?" Sam nodded and Dean came in and flopped on the other side of Sam.

"What's up?" Dean repeated, looking at Sam.

"Nothing." Sam said.

"Come on kiddo, something's bugging you, now what is it?" Dean asked. Sam sighed. He didn't want to hurt Dean's feelings by telling him what kids at school were saying, but he also knew that Dean wouldn't let up unless Sam told him. Licking his lips Sam whispered something that Dean did not quite get.

"Can you speak up Sammy?"

"I want to get a Hotweels car and race track for Christmas Dean." Sam said. "All the boys in school are talking about them. But I know we most likely won't be able to afforded stuff for Christmas." Sam finished up, looking at Dean.

"Oh, I see." Dean said, licking his lips. It was true that their Christmas was going to be small and on a tight budget, mainly because they were going to be in the process of moving into an apartment, but Sam shouldn't have to be worrying about not getting something that he wanted.

"Well, you know what they say Sam. The holidays are a time for miracles. Now how about you and I find some ice skates and I'll teach you how to skate?" Sam looked at Dean and sighed.

"Ok." Sam smiled a little bit.

"Come on Sammy." Dean got up and poked Sam in the side and started walking to the door. "I need to get my stuff unpacked but I'll meet you down by the ice in fifteen minutes. Don't go out there by yourself ok?" Dean said, looking at Sam.

"But if the ice is thick enough to skate on why do I have to wait for you to get out there?" Sam asked.

"Because you don't know how to skate and I don't want you to hurt yourself, is that clear?" Dean asked, looking at Sam.

"Crystal." Sam said as he walked out of the room to get his winter gear on.

Fifteen minutes later Dean and Sam where both on the ice, Dean holding onto Sam's arm as Sam slowly pushed one foot forward and then the other.

"You're doing great Sam." Dean smiled encouragingly. "I'm going to let go now."

"No, don't let go!" Sam screamed as Dean took his hand off Sam's arm. Sam promptly lost his balance and fell down on the ice.

"Ow!" Sam hissed as Dean bent down to help him up.

"Try again." Dean said and went behind Sam, this time placing his hands on Sam's shoulders. Sam frowned and pushed off gently while Dean followed right behind him. Sam got in the rhythm of it and turned to grin at Dean and realized that Dean was next to him and not behind him like Sam thought. Sam was skating! He was so startled to find that out that he fell again. Laughing, Dean skated over to him and helped him up and they started again. Taking it slow, both brothers skated around the cleared off ice until it was too cold to stay out and hot cholate called their names.

**OoO**


	12. Chapter 12

**(AN. Chapter 12! I hope you all like this chapter. **

**Thank you to LilyBolt for looking this over for me. **

**Thank you to LilyBolt, Sad-Blue-Eyed-Angel 2010, and PriWinchester for your reviews on the last chapter. **

**I do not own **_**Supernatural.) **_

OoO

"Don't forget the spoons Sammy." Dean said as he opened a few drawers to find the mentioned utensils. Sam reached into the drawer and grabbed two of the soup spoons as Dean went back to the stove to stir the tomato soup and flip one of the grilled cheese sandwiches in the pan. Behind him he could hear dishes clanking together as Sam brought them over to the table.

"Ok, the soup is done." Dean announced as he gave it one last stir and turned off the heat.

"Dean?" Sam asked as he came back to get bowls and mugs.

"Yeah Sammy?" Dean flipped the grilled cheese on to the other buttered side revealing a slightly burnt but still edible side. When Sam didn't answer Dean turned around to see what was up. Sam was leaning up against the counter biting his lip.

"Sam, what is it?" Dean asked again.

"What do you want for Christmas Dean?" Sam asked.

"What do I want for Christmas?" Dean repeated. Sam nodded. Dean let out a puff of air. He didn't really give much thought to what he wanted for Christmas. As long as Sam was happy, had a roof over his head, food in his stomach and was warm, Dean was content.

"I don't know." Dean finally answered. "But I'll let you know before Christmas. Ok?"

"Ok." Sam smiled and they both went over to the table and sat down to eat.

"I have a surprise to tell you." Dean said, wiping his hands on a napkin after he took spoonful of soup.

"You mean besides coming up to the cabin for the weekend?" Sam asked.

"Yes, besides that." Dean smiled.

"What, what, what?" Sam asked, bouncing on the chair.

"Hmm, maybe I won't tell you after all if you're going to be bouncing on chairs and acting all hyper like someone just gave you five hundred bottles of coke." Dean teased.

"Dean." Sam groaned. "What is it?"

"Well, tomorrow is Thanksgiving right?" Dean asked.

"Yeah." Sam said slowly, trying to see where it was going.

"I'm thinking about celebrating it." Dean said.

"Really?" Sam said skeptically. Their Thanksgivings where never something to really write home about. Mary died in November and John spent the whole month celebrating it by drinking. So most years it was just KFC or a deli roasted chicken if they had the money. If they didn't, then Dean would walk them both down to a church where the church members would give out a free plate of mush they called a 'Thanksgiving meal'. Dry turkey, dry stuffing, lumpy instant mashed potatoes, and a soggy piece of pie. Then they'd go back home, Dean praying that John wasn't home to hit them in a drunken rage.

"Yeah. I have a turkey, cranberries, pie crusts to make a pie, real potatoes, corn, stuffing mix and Bobby's bringing rolls and green bean casserole." Dean said, letting what he just said sink in.

"Bobby's coming!" Sam yelped, jumping out of his chair and running around to let off some energy.

"Yes, Sam, Bobby's coming. Now sit down and finish your supper, then we'll find something to watch on TV or we can play a game of cards, alright?" Dean said as Sam slowed down and went over to his plate and began to eat with vigor.

After supper was over and the dishes where left to air dry Dean turned to Sam.

"Ok squirt, cards or TV?" He asked.

"Cards." Sam said. "Maybe you can teach me how to play poker?" He asked hopefully.

"Nice try Sam, but you know my rules. Not until you're fifteen." Dean said.

"Aww Dean come on." Sam whined.

"No, not until you're fifteen. Now pick another game." Dean said, grabbing a pack of playing cards.

"Fine, golf." Sam sighed.

"You're in luck, we have two jokers." Dean said, smiling as he sat down at the table and began to shuffle the deck of cards. They played a few rounds of golf and by the time they got done it was eight thirty.

"Time for bed Sam." Dean explained as he picked up the cards.

"But it's only eight thirty." Sam complained.

"Yeah, but by the time you take a shower, brush your teeth, wash your face, and get your pajamas on it will be nine O' clock. Now shake a leg." Dean said. "We have a pretty big day ahead of us." Sam grumbled a little but went into the bedroom to grab his stuff and get ready for bed.

The next day Dean was woken up by someone shaking him.

"Dean, Dean Wake up it's five O' clock." A voice said.

"Mmrph, leave me lone S'mmy." Dean grumbled and buried his head under the pillow.

"Dean, come on get up." Sam tugged on the covers.

"Sam let me sleep for at least an hour ok?" Dean snapped. "God, what the hell are you even doing up at five in the fricking morning?" He opened one eye and looked at his younger sibling. Sam's hair was tussled and his eyes were wide awake.

"I'm too excited to go back to sleep." Sam admitted. Dean sighed.

"Come here." He opened the blankets and Sam crawled into them and snuggled up against Dean's chest.

"Try to sleep, K Sammy?" Dean said, closing his eyes and going into a light dose. When he woke up again at six O'clock Sam was gone and he could smell coffee. Sighing, he got out of bed and, rubbing sleep out of his eyes, he made his way to the bathroom.

After he took a shower and changed out of pajamas into a clean pair of jeans and a black t-shirt under a gray sweat shirt, he made his way out into the kitchen where Sam was at the stove making oatmeal.

"Oatmeal?" Dean asked in surprise. "I didn't think I packed oatmeal."

"You didn't." Sam said. "I found it in the cupboard."

"Sam. That's not ours to use." Dean said in shock. "I'm going to have to tell Mr. Lembeck that we used some of his oatmeal and raisins and cinnamon by the looks of it." Dean sighed as he grabbed the milk jug and glasses.

"There's coffee in the coffee pot if you want some." Sam said.

"You made coffee too?" Dean said in more shock. Sam snorted.

"Dean it's not that hard to do. You put the filter in, add the coffee grounds, put in the water and let it perk." Sam rolled his eyes.

"Hmm." Dean grunted and grabbed a mug and poured himself some, took a sip, and gaged.

"Is it bad?" Sam asked worriedly.

"N-no, not-t bad, just really strong. How many scoops of coffee did you use?" Dean asked as he, for the first time in his life, added a splash of milk into the mug.

"Ummm, I don't know, eight or nine." Sam said hesitantly.

"How full did you fill the pot?" Dean questioned.

"Half way. I know you only drink one or two cups in the morning, but since I don't know when Bobby's coming I thought I'd make some just in case he showed up this morning." Sam explained. Dean smiled and chuckled a little bit.

"You're only supposed to use three or four scoops of coffee Sam. I get the French roast so it's strong and you don't need to add eight or nine scoops." Dean explained.

"Ohh, oops."

"That's alright. Better stir your oatmeal." Dean said, looking at the pot of bubbling gruel. Sam gave it a quick stir and then deemed it ready to eat. Dean grabbed some bowls and orange juice and set them on the table with the milk and brown sugar.

Soon after the breakfast dishes where washed Dean cleaned the sink as best he could and put the stopper in and filled it up with cold water.

"Sam could you get the turkey?" He asked as he turned around to look at the clock which read six thirty. Then Dean realized he had no clue how to tell if a turkey was done. He began look around for a cookbook or something to help him.

"Sam, you need to help me." Dean said.

"I am helping, I'm getting the turkey." Sam said. "Where do you want me to put it?"

"In the sink to de-frost." Dean said, getting down on his hands and knees to look into a corner cupboard to see if the cookbooks could be down there. As soon as Sam got the turkey into the sink he helped Dean look. After about fifteen minutes of searching they located the cookbooks and Dean pulled out a Betty Crocker cookbook.

"This Betty person must know something about cooking a bird." Dean thought as he took it over to the counter and flipped to the index.

"Page 109." He said and flipped to the right page and read.

To thaw a frozen turkey put in cold water for five hours.

"Ok it's six forty now so it needs to thaw until eleven forty." Dean read out loud. "Great, we can get the pie cooking as we wait for the turkey to thaw."

"What kind of pie are we making?" Sam questioned.

"I thought we'd try a pumpkin pie." Dean said.

"Umm Dean." Sam said.

"Yeah Sam."

"The turkey is in the sink."

"Aww crap." Dean muttered under his breath. "Ok let's see if we can find a ten gallon pail around here, clean it out, and then we'll put the turkey in that." It took some searching to find a pail but they finally found one in the basement and after a quick rinse they put the turkey in it. Finally they were ready to make the pie. Sam opened the can of pumpkin and dumped it into the bowl while Dean pre-heated the oven and unrolled the pie crust into the pie plate. Soon the whole place smelled of pumpkin.

While the pie cooked Dean made the cranberry sauce and put it into the fridge to set up and Sam dusted.

"Why do I have to dust?" Sam asked as he took the can of_ Pledge_ spray and a rag that Dean had found and started dusting the window frames.

"Because it keeps you out from under my feet while I make the rest of the stuff." Dean said, filling a pot with water for the potatoes. Finishing potatoes, he set them on the stove, and grabbed a rag himself to help Sam.

"When's Bobby going to be here Dean?" Sam asked.

"I don't know Sam." Dean said.

"What time is it Dean." Sam pestered.

"Look at the clock Sam." Dean said as he dusted the stand that the TV was on. Then he found the radio. Grinning he turned it on and found the classic rock station.

"All in all it's just another brick in the wall

All in all you're just another brick in the wall." Sang Pink Floyd. Dean sang along with it under his breath then took the broom to sweep the floor.

"Dean, I'm pretty sure the floor doesn't need to be swept." Sam said, flopping down on the couch.

"I don't care, I'm going to sweep it anyway." Dean said.

"Whatever." Sam turned off the radio grabbed the remote for the TV and began to flip through channels, trying to find something to watch. He finally settled on Unsolved Mysteries. After Dean swept the floor he joined him on the couch. Apparently the broadcasting company was doing a marathon because right after the show was done another one started playing. Half way through the third episode the timer that Dean set for the turkey went off and Dean got up to prepare it for the oven.

"Can I help?" Sam asked as he followed Dean into the kitchen.

"Yeah, you can dry it with paper towels." Dean said. "Wash your hands well first though." Sam went into the bathroom to wash his hands and Dean got down on his hands and knees to look for a roaster.

"Ahh, haa!" He yelped in triumph as he found one and pulled it out. It was old and dusty, but with some hot water and soap it was cleaned up and ready for the bird.

"Are you sure that will fit it?" Sam asked, looking at the roaster and the ten pound turkey.

"Yeah it'll fit." Dean said. "I think. I need to find a rack for it." He got back down on his hands and knees to look for a rack and soon produced one. Setting it into the roaster he looked at Sam.

"Is the turkey rinsed and dried off?" He asked.

"Yep." Sam showed him the bird that was currently sitting ass end down over the drain of the sink.

"Ok. What dose Betty have to say about cooking a turkey?" Dean asked as he consulted the cookbook again. After reading for a few minutes Dean turned to the oven and pre-heated it to 350F and took the bird and put it onto a wooden cutting board and found some oil.

"It says to rub the turkey with oil or butter and put it in the oven for one and a half to two and a forth hours uncovered. So that will mean that it will be done at, let's see… Its noon now so it should be done at one thirty or two fifteen. I think." Dean said as he popped it into the oven. While he was cleaning up the sink and disinfecting it and the counters a knock came at the door.

"Sam you want to get that please?" Dean asked. Sam ran to it and peeked out the window.

"It's Bobby!" He screamed and flung the door open. Bobby stepped inside, his hands loaded with grocery bags and a duffle bag that held clothing for him.

"Bobby!" Sam yelled again and flung his arms around the older man and gave him a hug.

"Hey Sam." Bobby said, smiling as he took in the sight. Dean was in the kitchen wiping down the counter and Sam was bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Hey Bobby." Dean said, turning around to look at the man he considered a father.

"Dean." Bobby said. "How are you?" He walked over and set the bags down on the table as the younger man held out his hand for him to shake. Instead Bobby pulled Dean into a hug.

"How have you been?" Bobby asked.

"I've been pretty good." Dean said. "There might be a case in the college." He admitted as he helped Bobby unpack the groceries.

"What do you mean a case at the college?" Bobby asked.

"Well there may be a ghost haunting the tunnel." Dean said. "I just don't know. I haven't been able to do any research on it yet."

"Well don't. You focus on school and Sam, not hunting ghosts, you got it boy?" Bobby said, looking Dean in the eye.

"Yes sir." Dean said.

"Good." Bobby said gruffly. "Now let me get my coat off and we'll see if there's a football game on that we can watch until the turkey's done. The stuff I brought just needs to be heated up." Bobby said and sat on the couch next to Sam and found the football game. Dean sat down in a chair next to them both, glad that he could at least give Sam a taste of normal.

OoO


	13. Chapter 13

**(Chapter 13. Thank you to Sad-Blue-Eyed-Angel 2010 and LilyBolt for your reviews on the last chapter. **

**Humongous thank you to LilyBolt for looking over this chapter for me. **

**I don't own Supernatural.) **

**OoO**

"Well, thanks again for coming Bobby." Dean told the older hunter as Bobby got into his truck to start back to South Dakota, loaded down with some leftover rolls, pie, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and stuffing. The turkey was going back with Sam and Dean because they decided that it may spoil on the way back for Bobby and in Dean's words 'That would just waste good meat.'

"Any time Dean." Bobby said. "You remember what I said now about hunting."

"Yes sir." Dean said and backed away as Bobby pulled out of the driveway. Turning back to the cabin he stood on the steps and raised his hand in a wave until he couldn't see the pick-up anymore. Opening up the door he let himself back into the cabin where Sam was packing up the last of his stuff. Dean had already emptied the fridge and vacuumed the floor. Sam had to clean the breakfast dishes and sweep the kitchen floor. As soon as that was done they left the cabin and started for home.

As soon as they got back to the YMCA Sarah, who worked at the front desk, flagged him down and handed him five phone messages.

"Dean someone named Cassidy is trying to reach you. She said that you came to look at an apartment? Anyway, here is her number." She said smiling.

"Oh, thanks Sarah!" Dean said as he hoisted his bag higher onto his back and hurried down the hall, Sam following behind. As they walked back to the room Dean flipped through the other four messages. Two were from Kenny, no doubt wanting to know how their Thanksgiving was, and two just said that the person would call back. There was no name and no number.

"Ok Sam." Dean said the minute they got back into their room. "Dirty laundry into the basket and we'll do laundry." He set his bag on the bottom bunk and unzipped it and began to sniff laundry and toss clothing items either to the left or the right. Sam imitated him. When all the clothing was sorted and in bags, both brothers walked the block and a half to the laundromat.

"Sam can you go and get some quarters for the washer while I put in the clothing?" Dean asked as he handed Sam two five dollar bills to feed to the quarter dispenser. Sam walked between the rows of washers to the dispenser on the other side of the room while Dean shoved whites into one of the washers and colours into another and added in soap. While Dean put a dollar twenty five in quarters into the slots of the first washer, Sam did the same to the other washer. Then they had an hour and a half to kill.

"Now what?" Sam asked as he hopped up onto the table meant for folding clean clothing. It was unusually quiet for a Sunday afternoon. A radio played I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) softly from somewhere that they couldn't see.

"Don't know." Dean said, leaning up against the washer. "When you were about nine months old John took us with him to wash cloths and you were crying and nothing we did could get you to stop. People were looking at us and John finally took you out of the stroller and handed you to me. I was only five. I didn't know what to do but I somehow managed to get you up onto a washer that must have been in its final spin." Dean paused to see if Sam was paying attention. He was. Dean took a breath and continued "It was shaking and you sat there laughing a shaky laugh because of the vibrating. It was hilarious." Dean allowed himself a small smile. "John didn't think it was that funny though."

"Why not?" Sam wondered.

"Because John's a dick." Dean said. "Now how about we play a game, hmm?" He asked as he hopped up onto the table beside Sam.

"What kind of game?" Sam asked.

"Oh I don't know. I spy, If I had a million dollars, what if… You pick." Dean said.

Sam thought for a moment before settling on 'what if'.

"Ok, what if I bought a mansion?" Dean asked.

"I'd be wondering where you got the money." Sam said. "What if I got kicked out of school?"

"I'd be wondering what in the world you did to get kicked out of school and I'd talk to the teachers about letting you back in." Dean said. "What if I became a famous singer?"

"I'd be feeling sorry for the listeners. They'd be covering their ears in agony." Sam laughed.

"Hey, I'm not that bad at singing." Dean said, pretending to be hurt.

"Yes you are." Sam laughed again.

"I don't hear you complaining." Dean said, poking Sam in the side. Sam kept laughing and wiggled away.

"Besides, you're just as bad as me." Dean finished up. They played a few more rounds, quitting after Sam asked 'What if you found out that angels where real.' Dean just got really quiet.

"Dean, did I say something wrong?" Sam asked worriedly.

"No Sammy, I'm just thinking about mom. That's all. She believed in angles you know." Dean said softly.

"Really?" Sam asked. Dean never really talked about their mom.

"Yeah, she used to tell me every night that angels where watching over me. Anyway, what would I do if I found out angles were real… hmmm… More than likely I'd ether pass out form shock or try to kill 'em, to be honest." Dean admitted.

"Why?" Sam asked.

"Because I've never seen one."

"Oh." Sam didn't know what to say to that so he didn't say anything. The washers ended and they transferred the clothing to the dryers and settled in for another hour and a half wait.

Two hours later they arrived back at the Y and started folding the laundry. Sam was still stuck on the angels.

"Do we have guardian angels Dean?" He asked as he took one of Dean's sweat shirts and folded it up and set it on top of one of his black t-shirts.

"I used to think so." Dean said as he folded a wash cloth into thirds.

"But now you don't?" Sam questioned.

"Sam, if we had guardian angels, then were the fuck were they when mom died, hmm? Where were they when John was hitting us? Where were they when you almost died?" Dean's voice grew louder as he took a pair of Sam's jeans and rolled them up and placed them on the bed with more force then was necessary, making the springs creak slightly. Sam looked at him with worry in his eyes.

"I don't know Dean. Maybe they were there just invisible?" He suggested. Dean let out a 'humph' and continued folding in silence, only broken by people talking on the way past the room. After everything was folded and put away Sam went and started doing homework he left while on Thanksgiving break, and Dean went to call Cassidy, hopping it wasn't too late.

"Hello this is Whispering Aspen Apartments, Cassidy speaking." A voice said.

"Hey Cassidy. This is Dean Winchester calling. My brother Sam and I came to look at an apartment a few weeks ago. I'm wondering if it's still available?" Dean asked.

"Oh, right. You're the one with the kid brother right?" Cassidy asked.

"Yeah."

"Ok, let me see." Dean heard papers being shuffled around and a muffled curse. Then Cassidy got back on. "Found it. Yep, looks like it's still available. Would you like it?"

"Yes please. When should I come in to do the paper work?" Dean asked.

"Oh, whenever you get the chance." Cassidy said.

"Ok, well tomorrow I have class and work, but Tuesday I should be able to come in. Would that work for you?" Dean asked, biting his lip.

"I'll be busy in the morning but the afternoon should be quiet, unless the toilet in apartment 106 decides to get clogged again." Cassidy said, laughing a little.

"Ok." Dean said. "Would three thirty work for you?"

"That would be perfect." She said.

"Ok. See you at three thirty on Tuesday." Dean wrote it down on his hand with a pen and then hung up, making his way back to the room grinning. Everything was fitting into place.

The Tuesday morning was off to a bad start. First, Dean was struggling to get Sam out of bed because Sam complained he wasn't feeling well. Dean put his hand to Sam's forehead and he didn't feel warm and decided that Sam didn't have a temperature so he said that Sam needed to get up and get ready for school. Then Dean couldn't find the bread to make lunch for them and he was in a rush and couldn't waste time to find a substitute for it so he had to fork over three and a half bucks for a hot lunch for Sam. Speaking of Sam, where the hell was he? Dean grabbed both their book bags and hurried to find him. He found him curled back up under the covers asleep.

"Sam get your scrawny ass out of bed right now and get ready for school!" Dean snapped at him, ripping the covers off his sleeping sibling. Sam groaned and curled in on himself and Dean looked at the clock to see that both of them where late. Gritting his teeth, Dean went over and pushed Sam out of bed and into a semi-upright position, grabbing a pair of brown corduroy pants and a blue checkered button up shirt as he went.

"Put theses on now." Dean snapped. Sam glared at him but did as he was told and within forty-five minutes they were out the door an on their way.

"Dean, I really don't feel well." Sam said as they walked to the high school.

"Sam, look. I can't take a day off work so you'll just have to try to get through the day ok? If you toss your cookies in school then the teacher will call me and I'll come and get you, alright?" Dean said.

"K." Sam whispered as they got to the front doors.

"Now, we're meeting back at the YMCA to get our stuff and then we're going to our new house, ok?" Dean said. "Sam, are you listening to me?" Dean asked as Sam's gaze turned from his brother to the clothing store across the street.

"Hmm, yeah, I hear you Dean. Meet back at the YMCA and then we're going to the apartments to sign the papers." Sam parroted back. Dean looked at him. Sam did look a little pale. Maybe he should have stayed back at the Y. Oh well, too late now. Nodding, Dean gave Sam's shoulder a squeeze and watched until Sam went into the building and ran all the way to the college.

**OoO**


	14. Chapter 14

**(AN: An update on the same story in one day! **

**Chapter 14 for you all. Hope you enjoy it. **

**I don't own **_**Supernatural **_**nor do I own **_**My eyes adored ya. **_

**Thank you to LilyBolt for looking over this chapter.) **

"So the papers are signed and here are the keys to your new home. Congratulations Mister Winchester you are now a renter." Cassidy said, holding out five keys. Dean smiled and took them.

"The big brass coloured ones are to get you in past the security door, the slightly smaller brass coloured one is to get into your apartment, and the small sliver one is for your mail box." She explained.

"Ok, got it. Thanks Cassidy." Dean said, pocketing the mail box key and handing Sam one set of the of the brass keys.

"Oh, and to buzz people in you press the 'let in' button on your intercom. Pretty simple." Cassidy said.

"Got it." Dean said, edging to the door. Cassidy smiled.

"Well I guess I'll let you two get to your new home. If you have any maintenance work look on the building bulletin board and it will tell you who to call." She said. "Oh one more thing, the phone company is going to be coming to put a phone in the apartment for you some time later on this week or early next week."

"Ok, thanks for letting me know." Dean said as he opened up the door and walked out into the hall, Sam right behind him.

"Well let's go and take a look at our new place." Dean said, smiling as he led the way upstairs. Sam followed behind him quietly. Sam had been quiet pretty much the whole day. Dean had battled with him to get him out of bed and both of them had been late to school because Sam wouldn't eat breakfast. He finally got Sam to eat a little bit of toast with some jam and peanut butter with a glass of milk before he had to hurry them both off to school. Dean opened up the door to their place and stepped inside and flicked on the entryway light, bathing the hall and bedroom doors in a soft yellow glow.

"Home sweet home Sammy." Dean said, looking at him. Sam gave a small smile and set the bag he was carrying down.

"Why don't you pick out a room?" Dean suggested. "And later on in the week we'll stop at some second hand stores and look to see if they have beds?"

"OK." Sam whispered and walked over to one of the rooms and looked in it and then did the same to the other one before putting his bag into the smaller of the rooms.

"You sure you want this one squirt?" Dean asked. Sam shrugged his shoulders but nodded.

"Ok, because if you want you can have the bigger room." Dean pressed.

"I'll take this one." Sam said softly.

"Well, Ok then." Dean put his own bag into the bigger room and took out the ever present notebook, flipped to the very last page, and started writing down things that they needed to do. First on the list was get food. Then next was a bed and sheets. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a blur run past him and into the bathroom.

"What the hell." Dean thought. Then he heard retching. "Sam, you ok buddy?" He asked, stepping into the bathroom and turning on the light as he did so. Sam was crouched over the toilet throwing up.

"De'n I don't feel good." Sam whimpered as he ducked his head back into the toilet. Dean walked over to where Sam was crouching and placed a hand on his back, rubbing small circles trying to comfort him.

"De'n I really don't feel good." Sam repeated.

"I know you don't buddy. It's ok though. Just let it all come up ok? Shhh, it's all right." Sam didn't say anything but retched again until he did nothing but dry heave.

"I think I'm all done De." Sam whispered, leaning against the bathtub. Dean ran a hand through Sam's dirty blond hair, feeling his forehead. He thought Sam may have a slight fever but without a thermometer he didn't really know. He sighed. First things first, get Sam settled so he could go and get some supplies, starting by having Sam rinse out his mouth to get rid of the bitter acid taste.

"Ok. Here, let me get you some water." Dean said, flushing the toilet and running some water in the sink to get it cold. Then he went back over to Sam and helped him stand up.

"Come on Sammy. Up you get." Dean said, gently pulling Sam to his feet and putting his arm around Sam's shoulders. Dean guided him over to the sink. As soon as he got there he realized that they had no cups. Dean bit his lip, trying to figure out what to do. Then with one hand gently gripping Sam's upper arm and the other hand cupping water, he gently coaxed Sam's head down so he could drink out of his hand.

"De'n what are you doing?" Sam asked.

"We don't have cups right now so I'm improvising." Dean said. "Now drink and spit." He commanded without any real heat in his voice.

"Hmm." Sam did as he was told, drinking some cold water out of Dean's hand and rinsing and doing it two more times. After he was done in the bathroom Dean led him to the living room, wondering where to put his younger brother so he'd stay warm and safe until he could come back from the store with the necessary supplies to help.

"Ok Sammy. I'm going to put you down here by the heater. Is that OK?" Dean questioned as he led Sam over to it and Sam started to shiver. "I need to run to the store and get some things, alright?" Dean said as he helped Sam lay down. Sam made a noise but lay down next to the heater.

"It's not on." He said.

"I know it's not but it will turn on." Dean said, dropping his leather jacket onto Sam to help keep him warm. "I'll be right back I promise." He made a quick stop in the hallway where he had dropped his bag in his hurry to get to Sam and dug around and pulled on two sweatshirts and a wind-breaker to keep out the December chill.

He was back within an hour with some soup, a small sauce pan, blankets, Tylenol, a cheap thermometer, 7UP, some saltine crackers, a package of Styrofoam cups and bowls, plastic spoons, and ginger tea. He looked at Sam who was curled up with his hands around his stomach. Dean lifted his jacket off him and replaced it with the blanket. Sam opened one eye to look at him.

"Hey kiddo, how are you doing?" Dean asked.

"I'm cold." Sam said.

"Yeah, did the heater turn on?" Dean asked as he tucked the blanket around Sam some more to keep his body heat in.

"Hmm, a little. I think. I don't know." Sam said, shivering as he closed his eyes again.

"Ok well here, let me take your temp real quick ok?" Dean said, slipping the thermometer into Sam's mouth and under his tongue. While he was waiting Dean put some water into the sauce pan and let it come to a boil and put a tea bag into one of the Styrofoam cups. He came back over with the tea and Tylenol and gently slipped the thermometer out of his sibling's mouth.

"100.3F" Dean muttered. "Well good thing is it's not too high. Hopefully it's just the stomach flu and we won't have to go to the doctor."

"Mhh, no doctor." Sam said sleepily.

"Shh Sammy, we won't go to the doctor unless we have to alright?" Dean said, running his hand through Sam's hair.

"Mmm, K." Sam muttered, leaning into Dean's touch.

"Hey, can you drink something for me Sam?" Dean asked. "Just a few little sips." He wheeled as he helped Sam sit up, slipped a Tylenol into Sam's mouth and put the cup up to his lips. Sam drank a little bit, enough to get the pill down, paused to see if it would stay down, then struggled to get up to throw up.

"Easy Sammy." Dean said as he helped him into the kitchen and over the sink.

"I'm sorry De'n." Sam whispered as he retched yet again.

"It's ok Sammy. It's not like you decided that you'd get sick." Dean said as he helped him rinse out his mouth again and helped him lay down. They tried again throughout the evening and finally Sam was able to keep some tea and the fever reducer down and Dean didn't want to risk it by giving him soup, so they'd wait until the next afternoon for that.

"De?" Sam's voice broke through the darkness right next to Dean's ear. Both of them where sleeping in the living room on the floor. Sam so the heater could warm him when it turned on, Dean so he could keep an eye on his younger brother in case he took a turn for the worse.

"Yeah Sammy?" Dean asked.

"Can you sing me a song?" Sam asked.

"I thought you said my singing voice was horrid." Dean said.

"Yeah well, you said mine was bad as well." Sam said as Dean felt him wiggle up to him so his back was touching Dean's chest. Dean wrapped his arms around him, thinking of a song.

"_My eyes adored ya_

_Though I never laid a hand on you_

_My eyes adored ya" _

Dean sang softly.

"I never heard you sing this song before." Sam whispered.

"Hmm, it was John's favorite song. I remember him singing it to mom sometimes." Dean whispered. "Now be quiet Sammy and shut your eyes." He picked up from where he left off.

"_Like a million miles away from me _

_you couldn't see how I adored ya_

_So close, so close and yet so far" _

Dean sang, lulling Sam to sleep. Not caring if he was going to get sick, Dean wrapped his arms around the younger boy and held him close as if trying to protect him from the darkness.

**OoO**


End file.
